ROGER     THE     BOLD 


BY  LT.-COLONEL   BRERETON 

*'  F.  S.  Brereton  is  a  famous  hand  with  adventures 
of  every  sort." — Morning  Post. 


The  Armoured-car  Scouts:    A  Tale  of  the  Campaign  in  the 

Caucasus. 
On  the  Road  to  Bagdad:  A  Story  of  the  British  Expeditionary 

Force  in  Mesopotamia. 

A  Hero  of  Sedan:  A  Tale  of  the  Franco- Prussian  War. 
On  the  Field  of  Waterloo. 

Foes  of  the  Red  Cockade:  A  Story  of  the  French  Revolution. 
Roger  the  Bold:    A  Tale  of  the  Conquest  of  Mexico. 
With  French  at  the  Front :  A  Story  of  the  Great  European  War 

down  to  the  Battle  of  the  Aisne. 

With  Joffre  at  Verdun:  A  Story  of  the  Western  Front. 
Under  Foch's  Command:  A  Tale  of  the  Americans  in  France. 
With  the  Allies  to  the  Rhine:  A  Story  of  the  Finish  of  the  War. 
Tom  Stapleton,  the  Boy  Scout. 

With  Allenby  in  Palestine:  A  Story  of  the  Latest  Crusade. 
Under  Haig  in  Flanders:  A  Story  of  Vimy,  Messines,  and  Ypres. 
Under  French's  Command:  A  Story  of  the  Western  Front  from 

Neuve  Chapelle  to  Loos. 
The  Great  Airship :  A  Tale  of  Adventure. 
From  the  Nile  to  the  Tigris:    A  Story  of  Campaigning  from 

Western  Egypt  to  Mesopotamia.' 

At  Grips  with  the  Turk :  A  Story  of  the  Dardanelles  Campaign. 
A  Boy  of  the  Dominion:  A  Tale  of  Canadian  Immigration. 

POPULAR    EDITION 
Tom  Stapleton,  the  Boy  Scout. 
Roger  the  Bold:  A  Tale  of  the  Conquest  of  Mexico. 
Indian  and  Scout. 
Rough  Riders  of  the  Pampas. 

In  the  King's  Service:  A  Tale  of  Cromwell's  Invasion  of  Ireland. 
With  Shield  and  Assegai:  A  Tale  of  the  Zulu  War. 
With  Rifle  and  Bayonet:  A  Tale  of  the  Boer  War. 
The  Dragon  of  Pekin:  A  Tale  of  the  Boxer  Revolt. 
One  of  the  Fighting  Scouts:    A  Tale  of  Guerilla  Warfare  in 

South  Africa. 

A  Knight  of  St.  John:  A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Malta. 
The  Great  Aeroplane. 
A  Boy  of  the  Dominion. 


LONDON:  BLACKIE  &  SON,  LTD.,  50  OLD  BAILEY,  E.G. 


"HE    LEAPED    UPON    THE   TOP   OF   THE    BARRICADE3 


ROGER   THE   BOLD 

A   TALE    OF 
THE   CONQUEST  OF  MEXICO 


BY 

LT.-COLONEL   F.    S.    BRERETON 

Author  of 
"The  Dragon  of  Pekin"  "Tom  Stapleton,  the  Boy  Scout"  &c. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  STANLEY  L.   WOOD 


BLACKIE   AND   SON   LIMITED 

LONDON  GLASGOW  AND  BOMBAY 


STACK 
ANNEX 


CONTENTS 

CHAP.  Page 

I.  THE  IMAGE  OF  THE  SUN     ........  9 

II.  OFF  TO  THE  TERRA  FIRMA     .......  24 

III.  ROGER  THE  LIEUTENANT    ........  41 

IV.  THE  ISLAND  OF  CUBA     .........  61 

V.  A  VALUABLE  CAPTURE    .........  80 

VI.  A  STRANGER  COMES  ABOARD  .......  102 

VII.  THE  HAND  OF  THE  TRAITOR  .......  121 

VIII.  A  CITY  BY  THE  WATER  .........  139 

IX.  LED  TO  THE  SACRIFICE  .........  160 

X.  ROGER  AT  BAY  ............  179 

XL  NEWS  OF  FERNANDO  CORTES  .......  199 

XII.  THE  SPANIARDS  LAY  AN  AMBUSH     .....  218 

XIII.  A  SENTENCE  OF  DEATH  .........  237 

XIV.  ROGER  is  TRUE  TO  HIS  COMRADES  .....  257 
XV.  BACK  TO  MEXICO   ...........  274 

XVI.  THE  FIRST  ENCOUNTER  .........  294 

XVII.  A  FLEET  OF  BRIGANTINES  ........  313 

XVIII.  THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  CAUSEWAYS  .....  330 

XIX.  ALVAREZ  PROBES  THE  SECRET  .......  347 

XX.  A  RACE  FOR  THE  OCEAN     ........  367 

5 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing  Page 
HE  LEAPED  UPON  THE  TOP  OF  THE   BARRICADE 

Frontispiece 

THE  GOLDEN  DISK 18 

ROGER  SENT  HIM  ROLLING  INTO  THE  UNDERWOOD     .    .      88 

THE  BLADE  FELL  TRUE  ON  THE  SOLDIER'S  HEAD,  DROP- 
PING HIM  LIKE  A  STONE 232 

THE  REMAINDER  WERE  QUICKLY  IN  FULL  FLIGHT  .    .    .    288 
THE  SPANIARD  WAS  STAGGERED 368 


Map  of  Part  of  Mexico in  page     146 

Map  showing  Mexico  City  and  Surroundings      .     .  in  page     169 


ROGER   THE    BOLD 

CHAPTER  I 
The  Image  of  the  Sun 

"  T  T  I !  Hi !  Hi !  Your  attention,  if  it  please  you. 
11  Gentles  and  people,  I  pray  you  lend  your 
assistance  to  one  who  is  in  need  of  help,  but  who 
seeks  not  for  alms.  But  little  is  asked  of  you,  and 
that  can  be  done  in  the  space  of  a  minute  or  more. 
'Tis  but  to  decipher  a  letter  attached  to  this  plaque. 
'Tis  written  in  some  foreign  tongue — in  Spanish,  I 
should  venture.  A  silver  groat  is  offered  to  the 
one  who  will  translate." 

The  speaker,  a  short,  large-nosed  man  of  middle 
age,  had  taken  his  stand  upon  an  upturned  barrel, 
for  otherwise  he  would  have  been  hidden  amongst 
the  people  who  thronged  that  part  of  the  city  of 
London,  and  would  have  found  it  impossible  to 
attract  their  attention.  But  as  it  was,  his  head  and 
shoulders  reared  themselves  above  the  crowd,  and 
he  stood  there  the  observed  of  all  observers.  He 
was  dressed  in  a  manner  which  suggested  a  calling 
partly  attached  to  the  sea  and  partly  to  do  with  the 
profession  of  arms,  and  if  there  had  been  any  doubt 
in  the  minds  of  those  who  watched  him,  and  lis- 
tened to  his  harangue,  his  language,  which  was 

9 


Roger  the  Bold 


plentifully  mingled  with  coarse  nautical  expressions 
of  that  day,  and  his  weather-beaten  and  rugged 
features,  would  have  assured  them  at  once  that  he 
at  least  looked  to  ships  and  to  the  sea  for  his  living. 
Peter  Tamworth  was  indeed  a  sailor,  every  inch  of 
him,  but  he  had  been  schooled  to  other  things,  and 
had  learned  to  use  arms  at  times  and  in  places  where 
failure  to  protect  himself  would  have  led  to  dire 
consequences. 

He  was  a  merry  fellow,  too,  for  he  laughed  and 
joked  with  the  crowd,  his  eyes  rolling  in  a  peculiar 
manner  all  his  own.  His  nose  was  large,  huge  in 
fact,  and  of  a  colour  which  seemed  to  betoken  a 
fondness  for  carousal  when  opportunity  occurred. 
A  stubbly  beard  grew  at  his  chin,  while  the  upper 
lip  was  clean  shaven,  or  had  been  on  the  previous 
Sunday,  it  being  Peter's  custom  to  indulge  in  a 
visit  to  the  barber  on  that  day  if  it  happened  that 
he  was  in  port.  A  pair  of  massive  shoulders,  into 
which  the  neck  seemed  to  be  far  sunk,  completed  an 
appearance,  so  far  as  it  could  be  seen,  which  seemed 
to  denote  a  stout  fellow,  fond  of  the'good  things  to 
be  found  in  this  world,  and  not  lacking  in  courage 
and  determination  when  the  time  for  blows  arrived. 
A  little  later,  when  he  leaped  from  the  barrel  and 
appeared  in  the  open,  it  was  seen  that  a  ragged  pair 
of  hose  covered  massive  legs,  which  were  unusually 
bowed,  and  should  have  belonged  to  a  horseman 
rather  than  to  one  who  followed  the  calling  of 
the  sea. 

"  Come,  my  masters,"  he  called  out  again,  holding 
the  plaque  above  his  head,  and  drumming  upon  it 
with  the  handle  of  his  dagger  till  it  rang  clearly  and 
sweetly  like  a  silver  gong.  "  Here  is  the  Image  of 

10 


The  Image  of  the  Sun 

the  Sun,  and  in  gold !  Yes,  gentles  and  people,  I 
commend  this  plaque  to  your  careful  attention.  'Tis 
solid  gold — the  gold  of  the  Indies,  the  gold  with 
which  our  Spanish  cousins  get  rich  and  fatten." 

The  words  were  sufficient  to  call  the  crowd 
hovering  in  that  neighbourhood  more  closely  about 
him.  They  came  running  from  the  entrance  to 
London  Bridge,  where  many  had  been  lolling,  en- 
joying the  sunshine,  and  watching  the  loading  of  the 
ships  which  lay  on  the  mud  below.  They  came,  too, 
from  the  city,  along  old  Watling  Street,  or  from 
Lombard  Street,  from  beneath  the  shadow  of  St. 
Paul's,  then  a  fine  buildipg  which  dominated  the  city 
of  London.  For  no  fire  had  then  occurred  to  destroy 
it,  and  no  monument  stood  at  the  opening  of  the 
bridge  to  tell  future  Londoners  of  the  danger 
that  had  once  threatened  their  capital.  Indeed, 
though  the  streets  about  were  narrow,  there  were 
wide  spaces  here  and  there,  and  trees  and  green 
fields  were  very  close  at  hand.  Country  people 
could  be  seen  in  the  markets  not  far  away,  while  the 
pavements  supported  a  mixture  of  peaceful  folk,  of 
men  at  arms,  or  friars  in  their  robes,  and  of  seamen 
from  the  adjacent  river.  A  negro  could  occasion- 
ally be  seen,  for  Portugal  had  imported  many  to  her 
shores  years  before,  and  some  had  drifted  to  Eng- 
land, or  were  employed  on  the  ships.  Whoever 
they  were,  whatever  their  calling,  the  tale  of  gold 
from  the  Indies  brought  them  running  to  the  spot 
where  stood  Peter  Tamworth. 

"  Gold  from  the  Spanish  possessions  across  the 
sea,"  said  one  city  merchant  to  his  friend  as  they 
listened.  "  They  say  that  Ferdinand  of  Spain  rolls 
in  riches,  that  his  chairs  are  of  gold,  and  that  his 

ll 


Roger  the   Bold 

clothing  is  heavy  with  pearls  and  other  jewels.  And 
this  fellow,  this  rascal,  tells  us  that  he  has  some 
of  the  spoil.  Tis  not  so  easily  gathered.  These 
Spaniards  jealously  guard  their  discovery,  for,  were 
it  otherwise,  there  are  many  who  would  take  ship 
and  try  their  own  fortune  at  discovery." 

"  Many  in  high  places,  too,"  responded  his  friend, 
a  wizened  little  man,  who  seemed  to  take  the  mention 
of  so  much  gold  as  a  personal  affront.  "  Riches, 
indeed,  have  these  Spaniards,  and  it  would  be  right 
and  proper  if  they  could  be  divided." 

"  Between  ourselves,  friend,  no  doubt,"  laughed 
the  other.  "  That  is  a  course  to  which  I  give  the 
warmest  approval.  And  'tis  said  that  even  the 
king's  majesty  would  stoop  to  a  portion,  for  his 
coffers  are  reported  low." 

"And  he  bears  but  little  love  for  Ferdinand  and 
Spain.  Tis  whispered" — he  took  his  comrade  by 
the  sleeve  and  pulled  him  closer,  so  as  to  speak  into 
his  ear — "  'tis  whispered,  and  with  some  truth,  by 
all  accounts,  that  his  Majesty  would  fain  divorce  his 
queen  from  Aragon,  and  take  Anne  Boleyn  in  her 
place.  No  doubt,  if  he  would  do  that,  he  would  also 
agree  to  a  division  of  the  Indies.  But  listen  to  the 
rascal.  He  pretends  that  the  plaque  is  gold.  Way 
there  for  his  worship,  the  most  worthy  governor  of 
the  honourable  company  of  spectacle-makers." 

The  pompous  little  fellow  prodded  those  in  front, 
and  urged  them  to  one  side,  his  comrade,  a  big, 
genial-looking  man,  following  with  a  polite  bow, 
and  muttered  thanks  as  the  people  gave  way ;  for 
the  London  companies  were  then  at  the  summit  of 
their  power,  and  a  governor  was  a  personage  to  be 
reckoned  with. 

12 


The  Image  of  the  Sun 

"  Gold,  I  say !  Solid  gold  of  more  than  eighteen 
carats  ! "  shouted  Peter,  unabashed  by  the  presence 
of  such  a  crowd.  "  An  image  of  the  sun,  beautifully 
engraved,  as  all  may  see  who  care  to  approach,  and 
bearing  a  plan,  as  it  seems  to  me,  on  the  reverse. 
There,  gentles  and  his  worship  the  governor,  come 
closer  and  look.  Here  are  roads  carved  upon  the 
face  of  the  plaque,  roads  and  houses,  and  a  space  all 
round,  no  doubt  meant  for  open  country." 

"  Or  the  sea,  my  fine  fellow,"  said  the  governor, 
whose  prominent  position  in  London  had  given  him 
easy  passage  to  the  very  foot  of  the  barrel.  "  Look 
for  yourself.  Here  are  rocks,  and,  as  I  live,  these 
must  be  boats." 

His  observation  caused  his  friend  to  peer  even 
more  closely  at  the  image  which  Peter  held.  He 
dragged  a  pair  of  spectacles  from  an  inner  pocket, 
and,  donning  them,  stared  at  the  inscription. 

"  They  are  boats,"  he  said  at  length,  "  and  this  is 
the  sea — or,  rather,  an  inland  lake.  Moreover,  I 
believe  that  the  rascal  tells  the  truth.  The  plaque 
is  of  gold." 

"  Then  it  must  be  worth  a  hundred  pounds,  more 
or  less.  There  are  some  who  would  give  that  for  it, 
as  a  relic  from  the  Indies — if,  indeed,  it  comes  from 
that  part" 

"  While  there  are  others,  my  masters,  who  would 
not  part  with  it  for  more  than  ten  times  that  amount. 
'Tis  gold,  of  a  surety,"  went  on  Peter.  "  Solid  gold ; 
and  it  l^eeps  a  golden  secret.  It  tells  of  a  place  in 
the  Indies  where  are  gems  and  riches.  This  tablet 
attached  may  give  the  locality,  and  a  ship  with  brave 
hearts  aboard  her  might  even  hit  upon  the  spot." 

"  But  you  cannot  think  of  that !     My  friend,  the 

13 


Roger  the  Bold 

cost  of  equipping  a  ship  would  be  greater  than  the 
value  of  this  plaque,"  exclaimed  the  governor. 

"  I  could  not,  worshipful  sir ;  and  I  do  not  say 
that  there  are  those  who  contemplate  it.  Much  will 
fall  upon  the  translation  of  the  writing.  A  silver 
groat  is  offered  to  the  one  who  will  give  us  help." 

"  A  silver  groat !  You  are  safe  in  offering  the 
sum,"  laughed  the  governor,  "for  I  warrant  that 
there  are  not  two  who  speak  that  foreign  tongue, 
unless  it  be  the  ambassador  from  Spain.  Go,  then, 
to  him,  rascal,  and  learn  what  he  has  to  say.  May- 
hap he  will  give  the  meaning  of  the  writing  on  the 
parchment  attached." 

"  Mayhap  he  would  do  even  more,  your  worship, 
an  it  please  you,"  answered  Peter,  with  a  cunning 
smile,  placing  a  finger  against  his  enormous  nose. 
"  Mayhap  he  would  find  a  place  for  Peter  Tamworth 
in  the  stocks,  and  hold  the  plaque  for  himself,  in 
the  name  of  the  King  of  Spain.  Oh  yes,  worshipful 
sir,  it  would  be  wise  to  go  to  the  ambassador ! " 

There  was  a  roar  of  laughter,  in  which  all  within 
hearing  joined ;  for  even  in  those  days,  before  the 
advent  of  Drake  and  his  comrades,  a  Spanish 
treasure  ship  was  a  fair  mark  for  any  British  vessel, 
a  proper  cargo  to  prey  upon.  The  wealth  of  the 
Indies  had  indeed  been  heard  of,  and  the  fame  of 
the  possessions — Hispaniola  and  Cuba  held  by  the 
Crown  of  Spain — had  spread  far  and  wide.  What 
wonder  if  the  news  of  gold  and  gems  attracted 
every  one  !  In  Spain  itself,  thousands  were  eager 
to  venture  their  all  in  new  voyages  of  discovery, 
and  very  many  sailed  annually  from  her  shores, 
hoping  to  make  their  fortunes.  But  to  foreigners 
the  new  possessions  were  forbidden ;  and  so  far  no 

u 


The  Image  of  the  Sun 

Englishman  had  dared  to  venture  to  the  Spanish 
main.  Perhaps  for  that  very  reason  they  hailed 
with  all  the  more  delight  the  news  of  a  captured 
Spaniard,  and  listened  to  tales  of  the  wealth  aboard 
with  wide-open  eyes,  while  their  cupidity  was 
aroused.  Here  was  another  tale,  and  before  their 
faces  was  dangled  a  large  plaque,  full  ten  inches 
across,  which  had  come  from  the  Indies.  No 
wonder  that  they  were  attracted,  and  stared  at 
Peter  with  unwonted  interest. 

"The  stocks  would  be  a  friendly  place  to  find 
yourself  in,"  suddenly  said  a  man,  who  hitherto  had 
stood  silently  looking  at  the  plaque.  "  Perhaps, 
were  the  ambassador  from  the  court  of  Ferdinand 
to  see  this  gold,  and  learn  from  whence  it  came,  a 
rope  would  encircle  your  neck,  friend  of  the  big 
nose." 

Peter  Tamworth  started  and  changed  colour, 
He  looked  closely  at  the  stranger,  and  was  on  the 
point  of  answering  flippantly,  when  somethingcaused 
him  to  hold  his  tongue  and  doff  his  ragged  cap.  For 
the  one  who  had  spoken  bore  an  air  of  authority, 
and,  moreover,  was  dressed  in  the  height  of  the 
fashion.  Indeed,  he  had  only  just  then  alighted  from  a 
gilded  chair  borne  between  two  horses,  for  he  had  been 
passing  across  the  bridge  and  had  been  attracted  by 
the  gathering.  That  he  was,  in  fact,  a  person  of  no 
ordinary  consequence  was  plainly  evident,  for  the 
worshipful  governor  no  sooner  set  eyes  upon  him 
than  he  dropped  on  one  knee. 

"  My  lord,"  he  said,  "  the  rascal  jests  only,  and  no 
doubt  he  is  well  able  to  account  to  any  one  for  the 
possession  of  the  plaque.  But  see  it  for  yourself, 
sir.  It  is  of  vast  interest,  and  from  the  little  that  I 

15 


Roger  the  Bold 

know  I  should  judge  hasindeed  comefrom  the  Indies. 
Back  there,  good  people!  Do  not  press  closely 
upon  his  noble  lordship." 

There  was  a  stir  in  the  crowd  and,  obedient  to 
the  request,  they  fell  back  a  little,  for  the  nobleman 
who  had  so  suddenly  appeared  was  well  known  to 
all.  Indeed,  he  held  a  high  place  at  the  court  of  his 
Majesty,  King  Henry  the  Eighth,  the  reigning  mon- 
arch. Very  soon  he  was  left  in  a  clear  space,  so  that 
one  could  inspect  him.  He  was  tall  and  very  fair, 
and,  as  has  been  said,  dressed  in  the  finest  clothing. 
But  for  all  that,  dandy  though  he  undoubtedly  was, 
he  bore  a  martial  air,  which  was  increased  by  his 
manner  of  carrying  his  sword.  He  was  calm,  too, 
with  the  coolness  of  one  who  is  used  to  being  the 
centre  of  large  throngs. 

"  A  golden  plaque  from  the  Indies,"  he  said,  as 
he  took  the  Image  of  the  Sun  from  Peter  and  rang  it 
with  his  knuckle.  "  And  I  see  on  one  side  a  finely 
graven  image  which  surely  represents  the  sun. 
On  the  reverse  there  is  sketched  a  plan  of  some 
buildings." 

"  Which  appear  to  be  built  on  bridges,  with  via- 
ducts running  from  them,  and  water  all  round,  may 
it  please  your  lordship,"  interposed  the  governor. 

"  And  boats  upon  the  water,"  added  the  stranger. 
"  In  fact,  a  city  like  this  London,  only  built  in  still 
water  instead  of  beside  a  river.  And  surely  there 
is  something  stranger  still  at  this  point." 

He  placed  his  finger  almost  in  the  centre  of  the 
picture  graven  on  the  gold  plaque,  and  held  it  there 
while  he  fumbled  in  his  dress.  Then  he  drew  out 
a  glass,  set  in  a  fine  gold  frame,  and  held  it  above 
the  engraving. 

16  VB  «6«) 


» 

The  Image  of  the  Sun 

"  Birds  and  beasts,"  he  said  solemnly.  "  Then 
the  people  who  dwell  in  this  strange  part  keep 
animals  for  their  pleasure,  showing  that  they  must 
be  civilized  to  some  degree.  Come,  rascal,  what  tale 
have  you  to  tell  in  connection  with  this  relic  ?  Have 
no  fear,  for  though  I  am  the  Earl  of  Essex,  and  have 
the  king's  ear,  I  am  not  the  one  to  take  spoil  from 
an  honest  sailor." 

He  stood  holding  the  plaque  and  inspecting  it 
with  increasing  interest  while  Peter  changed  from 
one  leg  to  the  other,  blowing  hot  and  cold,  and 
wearing  a  comical  look  of  perplexity  not  unmingled 
with  fear. 

"Your  answer?"  demanded  the  earl.  "And 
have  no  fear.  Have  I  not  said  that  I  will  harm  you 
in  no  way  ?  Nor  will  I  allow  any  one  to  take  this 
plaque  from  you." 

"  Tis  not  that,  noble  sir,"  answered  Peter  at  last, 
summoning  courage  to  speak,  and  doffing  his  cap 
again  with  becoming  deference.  "  But  there  are  ears 
within  hearing,  and  tongues  wag  in  this  city  no 
doubt  as  fast  as  they  do  elsewhere.  May  it  please 
you  to  come  closer  that  I  may  speak  ?  " 

The  earl  at  once  stepped  to  the  foot  of  the  barrel, 
motioning  the  governor  and  his  friend  to  do  the  same. 

"  They  shall  also  listen,  if  you  will  permit,  my 
good  fellow.  For  they  are  interested,  and  can  be 
trusted  to  keep  the  secret.  Now,  the  tale." 

"  Tis  short,  and  soon  told,  your  lordship.  I  have 
but  just  returned  upon  a  galleon  plying  between 
this  port  and  that  of  the  northern  isles.  We  went 
by  the  west  coast  route,  and  made  our  ports  in  the 
north  without  adventure.  But  on  the  return,  when 
entering  the  channel,  we  fell  in  with  a  Frenchman 

(B  566)  17  B 


Roger  the  Bold 


— a  galleon  which  sought  to  capture  us.  We  endea- 
voured to  sail  away,  for  when  you  are  ready  to 
fight,  it  is  sometimes  well  to  pretend  that  you  desire 
to  escape.  So  we  crowded  canvas  upon  our  yards, 
while  the  master  so  manoeuvred  our  craft  that  we 
made  but  little  way.  Meanwhile  we  made  ready 
for  the  encounter.  Soon  the  Frenchman  bore  down 
upon  us,  and  sought  to  take  us  by  the  board.  But 
we  had  the  wind,  and  luffing  as  she  came,  we  raked 
her  decks  with  shot  from  our  small  cannon.  Then 
we  closed  with  her,  and  lashed  our  rails  to  hers." 

"  A  fine  manoeuvre.     Now,  with  what  result  ?  " 

"  They  thought  to  take  us  easily,  your  lordship. 
But  we  were  upon  their  decks  and  had  cut  them 
down  while  they  were  still  amazed  at  the  turn  of 
affairs.  Then  we  set  to  work  to  search  her  cargo, 
finding  a  few  fine  vessels  of  gold  and  some  feathered 
clothing  Which  I  have  never  seen  before.  It  was  in 
the  form  of  cloaks,  and  all  were  stitched  with  pearls 
and  glittering  stones.  In  all  there  was  no  great 
amount,  so  that  when  divided  there  was  left  this 
plaque  alone  to  my  share." 

"  But  how,  then,  do  you  argue  that  it  is  from  the 
Indies  ?  "  demanded  the  earl.  "  I  grant  that  it  would 
appear  to  have  come  from  some  such  foreign  part. 
But  you  took  it  from  a  Frenchman — a  legitimate  act, 
seeing  that  the  king's  Majesty  is  now  at  war  with 
France,  and  that  this  French  ship  was  the  aggressor." 

"The  tale  was  told  us  by  one  of  the  prisoners," 
answered  Peter,  recovering  his  jovial  spirits,  now 
that  he  learned  that  there  was  no  trouble  to  be 
feared. 

"  And  he  said  ?  Come,  hurry,  my  good  fellow ; 
I  am  in  haste  to  be  gone." 

16 


The  Image  of  the  Sun 

"  That  he,  with  a  comrade,  had  fallen  in  with  a 
Spanish  ship  and  had  sacked  her.  She  contained 
little  compared  with  others  of  which  the  tales  have 
reached  us ;  but  what  there  was  was  destined  for 
the  King  of  Spain.  He  said  that  it  was  a  token 
sent  by  some  of  the  king's  lieutenants,  to  show  their 
Royal  master  what  riches  there  were  in  the  new 
countries  to  which  their  good  fortune  had  taken 
them."  .,* 

"And  a  right  wealthy  country  it  must  be  where 
maps  are  drawn  upon  gold  plaques  of  such  a  thick- 
ness. What  do  you  value  the  relic  at,  my  good 
fellow  ?  If  not  at  too  vast  a  sum  I  will  buy  it  of 
you." 

The  earl  turned  the  plaque  over  and  over  in 
his  hands,  looking  at  it  with  vast  interest,  while 
Peter  stared  at  him  in  perplexity.  For  the  offer 
of  money  was  an  alluring  bait  to  this  penurious 
sailor,  who  seldom  had  more  than  a  few  pence 
to  jingle  in  his  pocket.  But  the  tale  of  the 
Indies  had  aroused  his  cupidity.  He  had  dreamed 
of  gold  and  gems,  and  of  a  huge  fortune  easily 
made  since  he  had  become  the  possessor  of  the 
plaque,  and  it  was  the  thought  of  some  greater 
wealth  in  the  future  which  caused  him  to  decline 
the  earl's  offer. 

"  I  ask  pardon  for  refusing  to  sell,"  he  said 
humbly.  "  But  we  have  not  learned  the  meaning 
of  the  words  which  are  written  on  the  parchment. 
It  may  mean  that  a  clue  will  be  given  to  more  gold, 
more  of  those  feathered  and  jewelled  cloaks  which 
we  found  aboard  the  Frenchman." 

"  Then  we  must  search  for  a  Spaniard,  though 
'twill  be  hard  to  find  one  in  this  country  at  this  time, 

19 


Roger  the  Bold 


save  and  except  the  ambassador,  who,  I  fear,  bears 
us  no  great  good  will." 

The  earl  took  one  last  look  at  the  golden  disk, 
and  was  about  to  turn  away,  when  there  was  an  in- 
terruption. Cries  were  heard  from  the  crowd,  who 
stood  staring  at  Peter  and  the  gentlemen  speaking 
with  him,  while  a  crossbow  man  could  be  seen  push- 
ing his  way  toward  the  barrel.  He  was  a  huge 
fellow,  standing  some  six  feet  four,  and  his  height 
was  increased  by  the  iron  cap  which  was  perched 
upon  his  head.  More  than  that,  as  he  drew  nearer 
it  was  seen  that  he  was  merely  a  youth — a  youth  of 
unusual  size  and  weight,  upon  whose  jerkin  were 
displayed  the  familiar  arms  of  the  house  of  Essex. 
Fresh-complexioned,  and  with  dark-brown  hair,  this 
youthful  crossbow  man  was  a  handsome  fellow,  and 
carried  his  many  inches  well.  But  as  he  neared  the 
earl  he  halted,  took  his  bow  from  his  shoulder,  and 
knelt  on  one  knee. 

"  The  tale  came  to  me  that  an  interpreter  in  the 
language  of  Spain  was  required,  your  grace,"  he 
said.  "  I  pushed  through  the  crowd  to  hear  more 
of  what  was  wanted,  and  see  if  I  could  be  of  service, 
for  it  happens  that  I  was  born  in  Spain,  and  speak 
the  tongue  as  well  as  my  own." 

"  And  perhaps  the  silver  groat  was  an  attraction, 
my  lad.  Come,  now,  I  see  you  bear  my  arms,  and 
are  therefore  in  my  service.  Your  name  and  age, 
and  how  comes  it  that  one  born  in  Spain  is  of  such 
a  height?" 

"  I  am  English  born,  your  grace,"  was  the  answer, 
as  the  young  fellow  drew  himself  proudly  to  his  full 
height.  "  There  is  no  trace  of  Spanish  blood  in  me, 
for  my  father  and  mother  are  both  of  this  country. 

20 


The  Image  of  the  Sun 

My  name  is  Roger  de  Luce,  and  I  have  been  tall 
since  I  was  ten  years  of  age.  I  am  now  just  eighteen, 
if  it  please  you." 

"A  fine-grown  lad,  who  has  done  well  with 
English  feeding.  And  son,  I  have  little  doubt,  to 
my  tried  and  trusted  Raven  de  Luce,  captain  of  the 
crossbow  men.  How  come  you  to  speak  this  Spanish 
tongue  ? " 

The  earl  looked  closely  at  the  tall  young  fellow, 
noticing  his  frank  and  open  features,  his  unconscious 
air  of  determination  and  breeding,  and  the  stalwart 
frame,  which  belonged  to  a  man  of  thirty  rather 
than  to  a  youth  of  eighteen.  Big  men  were  not  so 
often  to  be  met  with  in  those  days,  when  London 
harboured  only  some  two  hundred  thousand,  and 
the  earl  secretly  congratulated  himself  upon  having 
such  a  champion  in  his  ranks. 

"Come,"  he  said,  "you  are  no  commoner;  that 
I  can  see  with  half  an  eye.  Besides,  I  know  your 
father  to  be  fit  for  higher  things  than  captain  of  one 
of  my  bands.  How  did  you  acquire  the  language  ?  " 

"  I  was  born  in  Spain,  your  grace,  when  my 
father  went  in  the  suite  of  your  uncle  to  the  court 
of  Ferdinand.  My  mother  accompanied  him,  and  we 
were  there,  but  for  a  visit  home  on  two  occasions, 
for  eight  years  in  all  There  1  learned  to  speak  the 
tongue  as  well  as  our  own,  and  I  have  since  kept 
it  up  with  my  father,  for  he  thinks  that  the  time  may 
come  when  it  may  be  of  service  to  me." 

"And  to  others,  thereby  winning  you  reward. 
Let  us  hear  you  translate,  and  perhaps  this  worthy 
fellow  here  will  let  us  see  his  silver  groat" 

"  Willingly.  Here  it  is,  Roger,  and  I  may  as  well 
tell  you  now  something  of  the  reason  for  asking  this 

21 


Roger  the  Bold 


service  of  you.  Here  is  a  golden  plaque,  sent  to 
his  Majesty  of  Spain,  so  it  is  said,  from  his  lieu- 
tenants, who  are  bent  on  discovery  in  the  Indies. 
'Twas  captured  from  a  Spanish  galleon  by  a  French- 
man, whom  we  in  turn  despoiled.  Here  is  the 
parchment  attached,  and  here  the  silver  groat  in 
payment  of  your  services." 

All  crowded  about  the  tall  youth  now  and 
listened  intently,  the  earl  showing  as  much  enthu- 
siasm and  eagerness  as  any  one.  Roger  took  the 
plaque  and  spread  out  the  roll  of  parchment 
attached. 

"It  was  written  a  year  ago,"  he  said,  "and  this 
is  the  translation :  '  To  his  most  Catholic  Majesty, 
King  of  Spain  and  of  all  the  Spanish  possessions 
beyond  the  sea.  The  plaque  forms  part  of  an  offer- 
ing which  we,  your  lieutenants  in  the  Indies,  humbly 
send  you,  praying  for  your  acceptance.  We  are 
about  to  set  out  for  this  city  of  which  report  has 
reached  us.  It  lies  on  the  Terra  Firma  to  the  due 
west  of  Cuba,  and  somewhat  south  after  making  the 
northern  cape  of  Yucatan.  We  have  it  from  the 
natives  that  the  city  is  called  Mexico,  and  surpasses 
anything  ever  dreamed  of  in  magnificence  and 
wealth.  The  peoples  who  inhabit  it  and  the  cities 
lying  about  the  lake  engraved  on  the  plaque,  have 
abundance  of  gold  and  stones,  and  their  store  of 
treasure  is  held  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  in  that  portion 
beyond  the  central  square  where  the  animals  are 
shown.  But  the  part  is  not  named,  for  these  Indians 
do  not  read  nor  write.  They  describe  all  that  is 
seen  or  that  happens  by  means  of  pictures  and  en- 
gravings. But  the  treasure  lies  within  a  small 
radius,  and  shall  be  ours.  We  go  to  conquer  for 


The  Image  of  the  Sun 

your  sacred  Majesty,  to  colonize,  and  to  bring  the 
holy  Catholic  faith  to  these  heathen. — FERNANDO 
CORTES.'  " 

"  The  last  ? "  suddenly  exclaimed  the  earl. 
"  Whose  was  the  signature  ?  " 

"  Fernando  Cortes,  governor  of  the  Terra 
Firma." 

"Then  there  is  truth  in  this  plaque,"  said  the 
earl,  showing  some  trace  of  excitement.  "  I  have 
heard  of  this  valiant  Fernando  Cortes.  He  finds 
new  lands  and  new  treasures  for  his  king  every  year, 
it  seems.  Good  fellow,  this  plaque  would  interest 
his  most  noble  Majesty.  Trust  it  to  my  charge,  and 
I  will  give  you  a  sealed  receipt  for  it.  Or  better, 
come  with  the  relic  to  Greenwich  to-morrow  at 
noon,  and  bring  the  plaque  with  you.  You  shall 
have  audience  of  the  king,  and  this  Roger,  who  has 
done  us  this  service,  shall  be  there,  too,  to  meet  you 
and  translate.  Such  tales  as  these,  when  truth  is 
obviously  behind  them,  must  be  borne  to  the  king's 
ears,  for  it  is  well  that  he  should  hear  of  these  far- 
off  lands,  for  mayhap  he  would  care  to  have  a  finger 
in  the  pie  which  the  King  of  Spain  is  picking.  To- 
morrow, then,  at  noon,  at  the  door  of  the  palace  at 
Greenwich." 

He  beckoned  to  Roger  to  follow  him,  and  at 
once  turned  to  leave,  the  young  crossbow  man 
elbowing  a  way  for  him  through  the  crowd  to  his 
chair  or  coach.  A  minute  later  the  earl  had  entered, 
and  the  horses  were  in  motion,  two  men  being  at 
their  heads.  Roger  fell  in  behind,  his  mind  full  of 
the  Indies  and  of  the  visit  planned  for  the  morrow. 


CHAPTER  II 
Off  to  the  Terra  Firma 

A  PROUD  day  it  was  for  those  who,  at  the 
order  of  the  earl,  attended  at  the  door  of 
Greenwich  Palace,  and  great  was  the  emotion  of 
Peter  Tamworth.  He  appeared  in  the  most  brilliant 
raiment,  borrowed,  if  the  truth  had  but  been  known, 
from  an  accommodating  dealer,  and  looking  on  this 
bright  morning  more  weather-beaten  than  before 
— his  squat  figure  and  his  huge  nose  calling  un- 
wonted attention  to  him.  Roger  de  Luce  joined 
him  as  the  hour  for  the  interview  arrived,  looking 
taller  than  ever,  and  more  substantial.  He,  too, 
had  donned  his  best  apparel,  and  still  carried  his 
crossbow. 

"  This  way.  Follow,  an  it  please  you,"  said  an 
attendant,  suddenly  opening  the  gate,  to  the  alarm 
of  Peter,  who  was  more  than  excited  at  the  thought 
of  the  meeting.  "  Rub  your  shoes  against  the 
broom,  and  enter  quietly.  His  grace  awaits  you 
within,  and  will  take  you  to  the  king.  Remember 
to  kneel  to  his  Majesty." 

He  led  the  way  through  a  long  corridor  till  he 
came  to  a  large  chamber  hung  with  tapestry,  and 
with  an  arched  exit  leading  into  the  interior  of  the 
palace ;  and  here  the  Earl  of  Essex  met  them. 

24 


THE  GOLDEN    DISK 


Off  to  the  Terra  Firma 

"You  have  the  plaque?"  he  demanded  shortly. 
"Then,  keep  it  covered  till  the  king's  Majesty 
makes  application  for  it.  Now  follow." 

He  went  through  the  archway,  Roger  and  Peter 
coming  close  on  his  heels,  the  former  cool  and 
unruffled,  while  Peter  grew  hot  with  uneasiness ; 
for  he  had  fears  lest  this  attack  upon  the  French- 
man should  lead  to  trouble,  and  lest  King  Henry 
the  Eighth,  whose  reputation  was  well  known, 
should  take  a  fancy  to  the  plaque  and  insist  on 
keeping  it.  However,  they  had  little  cause  to  be 
.nervous,  for  King  Hal  on  this  fine  morning  was  in 
the  best  of  humour. 

"  Show  this  relic,  rascal,"  he  said,  as  he  stood 
beside  the  earl  in  a  window  niche,  "  and  relate  how 
it  came  into  your  hands,  leaving  nothing  of  the 
incidents  of  the  fight  to  be  imagined.  By  my  faith, 
Essex,  'tis  a  giant  you  have  here,  this  crossbow 
ma"n — or  youth,  I  should  have  said.  How  old  is 
the  lad?" 

He  directed  his  last  question  at  Roger,  who  fell 
on  his  knee,  and  answered. 

"  Eighteen  !  Then  England  need  have  little  fear 
while  she  continues  to  possess  such  sons.  A  fine 
body-servant,  Essex." 

"  And  an  interpreter,  sire.  He  and  his  father 
were  in  service  with  our  mission  at  the  Court  of 
Spain  some  years  ago." 

For  an  instant  a  cloud  swept  across  the  brow 
of  the  king,  for  at*  this  time  he  still  remembered 
the  opposition  he  had  met  with  regard  to  his 
cherished  wish  for  a  separation  from  his  queen, 
Catharine  of  Aragon.  Then  he  stretched  out  a 
hand,  and  took  the  plaque  from  Peter. 

25 


"A  sea  dog,"  he  said,  in  his  blunt,  loud  tones, 
staring  at  the  sailor,  while  the  latter  quaked ;  "  a 
sea  dog  who  has  fought  and  won,  and  fought  and 
lost  many  a  time.  Is  it  not  so  ?  " 

"And  who  hopes  to  fight  again,  an  it  please  your 
Majesty.  There  is  news  here  which  would  give 
fighting  to  many  a  man  of  yours,  and  some  wealth 
besides.  The  Indies  are  filled  with  pearls  and 
gold." 

"  And  you  would  have  me  take  them  from  my 
brother  of  Spain  ?  " 

There  was  a  half-smile  on  the  lips  of  the  king 
as  he  spoke,  and  thus  encouraged,  Peter,  who  had 
how  lost  some  little  of  his  nervousness,  related  all 
that  he  knew,  and  told  how  the  plaque  had  come 
to  his  hands. 

"  I  once  fell  in  with  a  Spaniard  who  had  served 
in  the  Indies,"  he  added.  "  He  had  been  driven  from 
Spain  because  of  some  offence  to  the  Church,  arid 
therefore  he  did  not  hesitate  to  tell  me  what  he  had 
seen.  There  are  thousands  of  undiscovered  leagues 
yet,  and  it  may  be  that  some  few  might  come  to  the 
hands  of  the  mighty  king  of  England.  There  are 
men  on  the  sea  who  could  do  for  you  what  these 
others  have  done  and  are  now  doing  for  Ferdinand 
of  Spain,  if  only  the  permission  were  given  them, 
and  the  money  with  which  to  purchase  ships  and 
stores  at  their  hand." 

"  The  rascal  tempts  me  to  become  an  adventurer," 
laughed  the  king,  looking  closely  at  the  plaque. 
"  But  let  us  hear  about  this  engraving  of  the  sun. 
Tis  marvellously  wrought,  and  like  you,  Essei,  I 
see  buildings,  roads,  and  beasts,  and  boats  upon  the 
water.  Let  the  interpreter  tell  us  of  the  writing." 

26 


Off  to  the  Terra  Firma 

With  a  nod  Roger  was  beckoned  forward,  and  at 
once  translated,  his  fluency  delighting  the  king. 

"  Truly  a  valuable  man  to  send  on  such  an  expe- 
dition," he  whispered  to  the  earl,  "for  he  speaks 
the  Spanish  tongue  like  a  native,  and  he  is  stalwart 
and  strong.  This  tale  of  foreign  lands  tempts  me, 
for  I  aspire  to  extend  my  dominions.  Let  this 
sailor  have  the  plaque  and  retire  with  the  youth. 
We  will  speak  quietly  together." 

What  happened  at  that  interview  it  would  be 
impossible  to  state.  But  the  result  was  soon  felt 
by  Peter  Tamworth,  and  by  Roger  de  Luce ;  for 
hardly  had  a  week  passed,  and  the  memory  of  their 
interview  with  the  king  was  still  fresh  to  them,  and 
much  in  their  minds,  when  a  stranger  presented 
himself  to  each  in  succession.  He  was  a  knight  in 
poor  circumstances,  by  name  Sir  Thomas  Brice,  and 
he  came  armed  with  authority  to  speak. 

"  There  is  a  large  brigantine  lying  in  the  river," 
he  said,  "  and  I  am  in  want  of  men  to  man  her.  Her 
mission  is  a  secret  one,  at  which  you  can  guess. 
She  is  bound  for  the  Indies.  At  this  moment  all 
manner  of  stores  are  being  loaded  aboard  her, 
together  with  guns  and  weapons.  Will  you  come 
with  me  and  form  part  of  my  crew?'' 

Sir  Thomas,  a  tall  and  courageous-looking  man, 
who  had  already  won  a  reputation  in  the  wars  with 
France,  waited  to  see  what  effect  his  message  had, 
and  then  commenced  to  speak  again. 

"  There  is  no  need  to  decide  at  once,"  he  said 
quietly.  "  Meet  me  to-night  at  the  Swan  Tavern, 
in  Cheapside,  and  there  we  will  discuss  the  matter. 
For  you,  Roger  de  Luce,  I  have  the  Earl  of  Essex's 
sanction  for  your  absence,  and  his  wishes  for  you 

27 


Roger  the  Bold 


to  form  one  of  the  exploration.  We  go  to  discover 
this  city  which  was  engraved  on  the  plaque,  and 
also  to  see  whether  we  cannot  oust  these  Spaniards." 

Acknowledging  Roger's  salutation  he  strode 
away  again,  leaving  the  latter  to  think  the  question 
over,  and  discuss  it  with  his  father. 

"  Tis  a  chance  which  may  not  occur  again,"  said 
the  latter,  though  Roger  needed  no  encouragement, 
for  he  was  eager  to  go.  "There  is  a  plan,  which 
should  take  you  to  this  part,  and  maybe  you  will 
arrive  there  before  this  Spaniard  who  is  known  as 
Fernando  Cortes.  Then  there  will  be  riches  for  all, 
and  you  will  win  back  for  our  family  the  position 
which  it  once  held.  For  we  were  not  always 
servants,  or  soldiers  in  subordinate  positions.  Time 
was  when  the  de  Luces  held  their  lands  and  vassals, 
and  jested  with  the  best." 

That  night  Roger  kept  the  appointment  at  the 
Swan  Tavern,  a  famous  hostelry,  where  he  met  Sir 
Thomas,  with  whom  was  Peter  Tamworth  and 
some  ten  others. 

"We  sail  within  the  week,"  said  the  knight, 
"  and  your  answer  must  be  given  now.  There  is 
the  share  of  treasure  which  you  will  receive  should 
the  expedition  prove  successful,  and  then  there  will 
be  the  honour  which  his  Majesty  will  do  to  each 
one  of  us.  In  all  there  will  be  a  hundred  gentle- 
men and  men-at-arms,  whom  the  brigantine  can 
just  accommodate.  Now,  will  you  come?" 

"Willingly,"  said  Roger.  "The  share  which  is 
promised  will  be  suitable,  and  I  promise  to  do  all 
that  I  can  to  make  the  expedition  successful.  Should 
we  fall  in  with  the  Spaniards,  I  shall  be  able  to  deal 
with  them,  for  I  speak  the  language." 

28 


Off  to  the  Terra  Firma 

"And  if  the  tongue  fails,  I  warrant  he  will  be 
able  to  deal  with  them  in  other  ways,"  laughed  one 
of  the  gentlemen  present.  "We  are  fortunate  in 
having  this  young  giant.  Now,  Sir  Thomas,  we 
have  to  find  a  sailing  master,  and  our  crew  is  com- 
pleted, for  the  men-at-arms  have  already  been 
enrolled." 

In  fact,  those  who  were  leading  this  expedition 
had  little  difficulty.  There  were  too  many  appli- 
cants, for  it  wanted  but  a  day  for  the  secret  to  leak 
out,  and  it  flew  swiftly  through  the  city  of  London. 
Seafaring  men,  old  sailors,  and  adventurers  came 
forward  in  scores,  and  from  amongst  them  the  most 
suitable  were  chosen.  Then,  having  filled  up  with 
provisions  and  water,  and  having  taken  aboard  a 
plentiful  supply  of  gunpowder  and  arms,  the  brigan- 
tine  slipped  from  her  moorings,  and  slid  down  the 
River  Thames.  A  thousand  eyes  followed  her  as 
she  went.  Nor  did  the  knight,  who  commanded  her, 
and  his  crew  meet  with  the  smallest  adventure  till 
they  had  crossed  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  then  an  almost 
unknown  sea,  at  least  to  the  English,  and  come  into 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  island  of  Cuba.  A  fair 
wind  carried  them  directly  on  their  course,  and 
during  the  voyage  they  met  with  few  matters  of 
great  interest.  As  for  Roger,  once  he  had  recovered 
from  his  sea-sickness,  he  found  the  life  delightful. 
In  spite  of  his  height  and  his  look  of  age,  he  was 
as  much  a  boy  as  any  young  fellow  of  eighteen 
years,  and  skylarked  about  the  vessel  with  Philip 
Heasman,  son  of  one  of  the  gentlemen  adventurers 
who  had  taken  shares  in  the  ship. 

"  I  love  to  look  over  the  side  and  see  the  water 
running  past  us,  Philip,"  he  said,  once  they  were 

29 


Roger  the  Bold 


out  of  the  channel,  and  had  come  to  a  part  where 
the  sea  ran  in  long  low  swells.  "  Then  at  night  I 
lie  in  my  bunk  and  listen  to  the  swish  of  the  water 
alongside,  and  that  sends  me  to  sleep." 

"And  keeps  you  so  till  some  one  has  kicked  you 
to  awaken  you  again,"  laughed  his  friend.  "  I  declare 
that  I  have  a  big  task  every  day  and  night,  for  when 
we  are  off  watch  you  seem  to  sleep  all  the  time,  and 
I  have  to  look  to  it  that  you  turn  up  on  deck  at  the 
appointed  hour.  I  suppose  it's  because  you  are  so 
long,  and  have  overgrown  your  strength." 

"  Hardly  that.  Look  here,  Philip.  That  doesn't 
look  like  overgrown  strength.  At  any  rate,  it 
doesn't  seem  to  be  what  one  could  call  weakness." 

As  Roger  spoke,  he  seized  one  of  the  small 
cannon  by  the  muzzle  with  one  hand,  and  with  a 
heave  lifted  the  gun  and  its  attached  carriage  till 
the  muzzle  stared  up  at  the  sky,  while  the  base 
rested  on  the  deck.  Then  he  set  it  down  again  in 
its  old  position  as  gently  as  though  it  had  been  a 
featherweight. 

"A  fine  performance;  but  still,  not  as  much  as 
you  will  be  able  to  do  one  of  these  days,"  said  Philip, 
critically ;  "  and  I  maintain  that  you  are  grown  too 
much,  and  that  the  rapid  spring-up  which  you  have 
made  has  robbed  you  of  strength.  That  is  why  you 
are  for  ever  sleeping,  and  why  you  loll  and  rest  at 
all  times.  Why,  in  a  matter  of  a  year  or  so,  you  will 
be  able  to  do  what  you  have  done  without  an  effort, 
and  with  two  fingers.  You  will  even  be  able  to  lift 
the  portly  Peter  Tamworth  right  over  your  head." 

The  little  sailor  happened  to  be  passing  along 
the  deck  at  that  moment,  and  Roger  seized  upon 
the  opportunity  with  eagerness. 

30 


Off  to  the  Terra  Firma 

"Lift  Peter!"  he  cried,  with  a  derisive  laugh. 
"He  is  but  a  child.  See  him  soar  aloft." 

He  swung  round  and  seized  the  sailor  by  his 
clothing.  Then,  with  a  swing,  he  tossed  him  into 
the  air,  and  held  him  at  arms'  length  above  his  head, 
while  Peter  shouted  angrily. 

"What  fool's  work  is  this?"  he  demanded,  as 
Roger  set  him  down  again,  while  the  men-at-arms, 
who  had  watched  the  little  exhibition  of  strength, 
roared  with  laughter.  For  Peter  was  a  character, 
a  jolly  fellow,  apt  to  cultivate  a  bosom  acquaintance 
with  all  with  whom  he  sailed.  But,  on  this  occa- 
sion, dignity  had  in  some  small  measure  altered 
his  habit,  and  he  stood  aloof,  as  far  as  his  merry 
nature  would  allow. 

"Would  you  toss  our  leader  so  into  the  air? 
Then,  why  choose  me?  My  faifh,  were  I  in  com- 
mand, I  would  send  you  to  the  peak  in  the  bight 
of  a  rope,  and  let  you  swelter  there  for  a  day." 

"  If  you  could  get  him  to  the  rope,  well  and 
good,  Peter,"  laughed  Philip,  patting  the  angry 
sailor.  "  But,  think  of  the  strength  of  this  young 
bull.  I  warrant,  he  could  hold  you  with  one  hand, 
and  lash  you  with  the  other.  Mayhap,  seeing 
that  you  do  not  lead  this  expedition,  he  may  feel 
desirous  of  sending  you  to  the  peak  to  see  how  the 
trick  looks.  But  be  not  angry.  Our  friend  was  just 
trying  his  strength  or  weakness,  for  I  maintain  that 
he  is  weak  rather  than  strong." 

"Then  let  him  keep  this  weakness  for  the 
Spaniards,"  grumbled  Peter,  "  and  try  not  his 
strength  on  me.  Look  over  there,  comrades.  Cuba 
is  in  sight — the  island  where  it  is  said  these 
Spaniards  caused  the  natives  to  slave  so  that  they 

31 


Roger  the  Bold 


died  within  a  few  years.  Tis  well  for  us  that  we 
are  away  in  the  offing,  for  there  will  be  ships  there, 
and  many  men  to  man  them.  If  they  caught  sight 
of  us,  we  should  be  surrounded,  and  then  where 
would  be  this  city  on  the  Terra  Firma,  and  the 
treasure  we  seek  ?  " 

His  words  brought  the  men-at-arms,  Philip  and 
Roger,  to  the  side  of  the  vessel,  leaning  against 
which,  they  fixed  their  eyes  upon  the  speck  of  blue 
in  the  distance,  which  they  were  told  was  Cuba 

"  Perhaps  another  week  will  take  us  to  the  north 
of  Yucatan,"  said  Peter.  "  After  that  no  one  can 
say  how  long  it  will  be  before  we  run  on  to  the 
main  land.  But  we  shall  doubtless  halt  at  Yucatan 
and  take  in  water  and  fresh  food,  if  the  latter  can 
be  found.  Does  any  one  see  a  sail?" 

All  stared  out'across  the  water,  but  though  they 
watched  for  many  hours,  nothing  was  seen  save  the 
land  in  the  distance.  And  as  evening  came  the  latter 
became  larger,  and  those  gifted  with  the  best  sight 
could  make  out  hills  and  mountain  chains.  Roger 
even  thought  that  he  caught  the  white  sheen  of  a 
sail.  But  it  was  getting  dusk,  and  he  could  not  be 
certain. 

"As  like  as  not  it  was  one,"  said  Sir  Thomas, 
when  our  hero  brought  the  report  to  him,  "for  I 
have  information  that  the  Spaniards  keep  many 
ships  here,  and  that  they  are  making  large  prepara- 
tions to  reinforce  this  Fernando  Cortes  with  men 
and  ships.  But  we  shall  be  far  along  the  coast  by 
to-morrow,  and  our  course  will  take  us  out  more. 
Did  you  think,  Roger  de  Luce,  that  we  should  have 
accomplished  so  much  in  one  single  month  from 
our  sailing  from  the  port  of  London  ?  " 

32 


Off  to  the  Terra  Firma 

"  I  had  expected  to  be  many  weeks  on  the  voyage, 
sir,  though  I  am  ignorant  of  the  time  usually  taken. 
But  I  remember  that  while  in  Spain  it  was  told  me 
that  the  great  Columbus  had  taken  a  very  long  time, 
and  that  when  in  these  parts  his  men  had  begged  of 
him  to  turn  back,  for  they  thought  that  they  had 
gone  so  far  that  to  proceed  would  make  return 
impossible." 

"  And  yet  he  persevered  against  their  wishes, 
and  discovered  Hispaniola,  and  afterwards  Cuba. 
And  he  took  many  weeks,  while  we  are  but  four 
from  London.  We  are  fortunate,  and  in  two  weeks 
from  this  should  be  on  the  coast  for  which  we  aim. 
Then  we  must  search  for  natives,  and  a  captive 
Spaniard  would  be  of  service,  for  then  you  could 
question  him." 

Roger  made  his  salute,  and  retired  to  the  lower 
deck,  where  he  soon  turned  in.  At  midnight  he  and 
Philip  came  on  the  deck  again,  to  take  their  watch, 
and  strolled  up  and  down.  A  fine  moon  was  up, 
and  the  sea  could  be  observed  for  miles  around 
them,  looking  silvery  white  in  the  rays. 

"  Wait,"  said  Roger,  after  they  had  trudged  up 
and  down  for  nearly  an  hour,  both  busy  with  their 
thoughts,  "  I  fancied  that  I  saw  another  ship.  Per- 
haps it  is  the  light  given  by  the  moon,  which  is 
rather  deceptive,  but — look  yonder.  Is  that  a 
sail?" 

"  I  also  thought  so,"  was  the  hesitating  answer. 
"  But  I  could  not  be  certain,  and  now  there  seems 
to  be  nothing.  Listen  !  Did  you  hear  a  call  ?  " 

They  stood  at  the  rail,  staring  out  at  the  water 
and  listening.  But  it  must  have  been  their  fancy, 
for  though  an  hour  passed  and  still  found  them 

(B  566)  33  C 


Roger  the  Bold 


attentive,  they  neither  heard  nor  saw  anything  to 
arouse  their  suspicions. 

"We  imagined  the  whole  thing, then,"  said  Roger, 
"  though  I  fancy  still  that  I  actually  caught  sight  of 
a  sail.  Suppose  these  Spanish  fellows  had  heard  of 
our  coming,  and  were  lying  in  wait." 

"  If  they  had  heard  they  would  certainly  be  on 
the  look  out  for  us.  But  you  forget,  Roger.  Our 
expedition  Was  planned  not  more  than  five  weeks 
ago ;  and  it  is  said  that  the  king  commanded  secrecy 
then.  Who  could  have  sent  the  news  to  Spain  ? 
And  granted  that  it  reached  the  court  at  Madrid, 
how  would  a  boat  have  sailed  to  Cuba  in  time  to 
bring  the  information  ?  For  we  have  made  a  rapid 
voyage,  quicker,  we  are  told,  than  is  usually  accom- 
plished by  the  Spaniards." 

The  argument  seemed  conclusive,  and  Roger 
sought  for  some  other  means  of  explaining  the  sail 
which  he  thought  he  had  seen.  Had  he  and  the 
others  who  took  part  in  this  expedition  but  known 
it,  the  suspected  sail  was  a  ship  in  actual  fact,  which 
for  many  a  week  had  been  cruising  off  the  coast  of 
Cuba.  For  Spain  jealously  guarded  these  new 
possessions  of  hers,  and  the  governor  of  Cuba  and 
of  Hispaniola  had  orders  to  watch  the  narrow  seas 
about  them.  Then,  too,  it  happened  that  one  of  the 
prisoners  taken  aboard  the  Spanish  treasure  ship 
had  contrived  to  send  information  of  the  capture  to 
Ferdinand,  and  had  narrated  how  the  plaque  and  the 
other  valuables  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
French,  and  afterwards  into  those  of  the  English. 
It  was  a  serious  loss,  and  steps  were  at  once  taken 
to  oppose  any  who  might  be  tempted  to  find  the 
land  of  gold  and  the  city  referred  to  on  the  plaque. 

34 


Off  to  the  Terra  Firma 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  when  Roger  lay 
coiled  up  in  his  bunk,  a  shout  startled  the  ship  and 
brought  all  to  the  deck. 

"  A  sail !    A  sail !    A  Spanish  ship  ! " 

It  was  Petef  Tamworth  who  had  made  the  dis- 
covery, and  he  voiced  it  at  the  top  of  his  power. 

"  A  Spaniard,  bearing  down  upon  us  from  under 
the  land." 

"  Then  I  was  right,"  whispered  Roger  in  Philip's 
ear.  "  There  was  a  ship  near  us  last  night.  Look 
now !  One  can  see  her  fairly  well,  running  from  the 
land.  We  seem  to  be  nearer  in  than  we  had  in- 
tended to  be.  She  is  a  large  vessel,  I  should  say, 
and  therefore  we  shall  have  to  fight." 

That  this  was  so  became  clear  to  all  aboard  in 
the  next  half-hour,  for  the  Spaniard,  a  big  vessel, 
with  prow  which  stood  high  out  of  the  water,  bore 
down  upon  the  brigantine,  sailing  two  feet  to  her 
one,  and  to  show  the  feeling  aboard  her,  fired  a  gun 
as  soon  as  she  was  in  range. 

"  A  queer  sound,  and  one  which  makes  one  feel 
inclined  to  dip  below  the  rail,"  said  Philip,  with  a 
laugh,  as  the  cumbersome  ball  skipped  along  the 
surface  of  the  water,  and  sank  at  the  forefoot  of  the 
brigantine.  "  What  answer  will  our  leader  give  ?  " 

"  The  one  you  might  expect.  We  have  as  much 
right  here  as  any,  and  are  not  to  be  ousted  because 
the  Spaniards  happened  to  be  here  first  But  we 
shall  not  waste  powder.  Our  guns  are  far  too  small. 
Let  them  get  to  close  quarters,  and  then  I  warrant 
we  shall  talk  to  them.  Give  me  a  crossbow 
before  all." 

Roger  swung  his  weapon  from  his  shoulder,  and 
looked  to  the  locks. 

35 


Roger  the   Bold 

"  One  of  these  days  it  will  happen,  perhaps,  that 
the  arquebus  will  be  improved,  and  made  easier  to 
carry.  It  is  too  heavy  by  far  now,  and  takes  too 
long  to  fire.  For  those  reasons  it  cannot  compare 
with  this  weapon.  At  one  hundred  yards  I  will 
guarantee  to  bring  down  a  man  if  he  does  not  move." 

"  You  will  hardly  find  one  willing  to  oblige  you," 
was  the  answer.  "  Ho !  That  was  a  close  one.  I 
should  think  that  we  shall  be  badly  pounded  before 
we  get  the  range  of  them." 

"  Unless  we  run  up  towards  the  enemy,  and  so 
get  to  action  sooner,"  remarked  Roger.  "  That  is 
what  I  should  do,  and  I  think  our  leader  will.  Yes. 
There  goes  the  tiller,  and  the  master  is  calling  to  us 
to  shift  the  braces." 

In  those  days  every  ship  carried  her  fighting 
crew,  who  also  saw  to  the  sails ;  and  it  happened 
that  aboard  the  brigantine,  amongst  the  adventurers 
were  many  who  were  sailors  as  well.  And  thanks 
to  that  fact,  those  who,  like  Roger,  had  been 
ignorant  when  they  first  embarked,  had  quickly 
picked  up  the  mysteries  of  sailing.  They  obeyed 
the  master's  order,  therefore,  and  very  soon  the 
brigantine  was  heading  for  the  Spaniard. 

"  Let  every  man  lie  down  behind  the  rail  till  I 
shout,"  called  out  Sir  Thomas,  stationing  himself  on 
the  lofty  stern  of  the  brigantine,  "  and  come  hither, 
Roger  de  Luce.  It  may  be  that  they  will  desire  a 
parley,  though  it  hardly  seems  so,  considering  that 
they  have  fired  upon  us  so  early.  Now,"  he  said, 
when  Roger  had  clambered  to  his  side,  "  how  many 
men  does  yonder  vessel  carry  ?  " 

"That  I  cannot  say,  sir,"  answered  our  hero, 
"  for  I  spent  the  greater  part  of  my  life  in  Spain,  at 

M 


Off  to  the  Terra  Firma 

Madrid,  though  once  I  was  at  Cadiz.  But  she  is  a 
large  vessel,  Sir  Thomas ;  and  seeing  that  she  has 
been  cruising  here,  for  I  am  sure  now  that  I  caught 
a  glimpse  of  her  last  night,  I  am  sure  that  she  will 
have  many  men." 

"Then  their  numbers  shall  confuse  them.  We 
will  carry  them  by  the  board,  and  so  escape  their 
shot.  Move  the  tiller  over,  master,  so  as  to  put 
their  aim  out." 

Bang!  crash!  It  was  very  certain  that  the 
Spaniard  carried  heavy  metal,  for  one  of  her  shots 
came  aboard  the  brigantine  at  that  moment,  and 
ploughed  through  the  deck,  rending  the  timbers, 
and  scattering  splinters  on  either  side.  Then  a 
second  hulled  the  Englishman,  stripping  away  a 
length  of  bulwark,  and  killing  or  disabling  half  a 
dozen  men.  Roger  looked  down  at  the  scene  of 
havoc  for  a  little  while,  feeling  dizzy  and  upset  at 
the  sight ;  for  huge  though  he  was,  and  a  powerful 
fellow,  he  was  a  child  in  experience — a  light-hearted, 
overgrown  fellow,  who  had  as  yet  seen  little  of  the 
rough  side  of  the  world. 

"An  ugly  sight,  which  makes  the  head  swim," 
said  the  voice  of  Sir  Thomas.  "  But  use  makes  one 
hardened.  When  you  have  seen  all  that  I  have, 
you  will  pity  those  who  are  hurt,  but  will  let  your 
feelings  go  no  further.  Ah  !  we  are  likely  to  suffer 
heavily,  unless  we  can  soon  come  to  close  quarters." 

For  ten  minutes  and  more  the  Spaniard  hulled 
the  brigantine,  while  the  latter  made  fruitless  efforts 
to  come  close  to  her  adversary,  and  had,  so  far,  not 
returned  a  shot.  Meanwhile,  her  crew  had  suffered 
heavily,  and  many  of  the  men-at-arms  and  the  ad- 
venturers had  been  killed  or  severely  wounded. 

37 


Roger  the  Bold 

"She  is  playing  with  us!"  shouted  Sir  Thomas, 
at  length,  seeing  that  the  Spaniard  did  not  approach 
closer.  "She  relies  upon  her  superior  sailing,  and 
is  trying  to  circle  about  us.  Bring  her  about, 
master,  and  jamb  us  into  this  craft." 

He  stamped  on  the  deck  with  vexation,  for  it 
was  maddening  to  see  his  men  thus  cut  down  with- 
out being  able  to  retaliate.  However,  a  crafty 
move  on  the  part  of  the  master  met  a  change  of 
course  of  the  Spaniard,  and  at  once  the  ships  began 
to  run  towards  one  another,  the  brigantine  looking 
ridiculously  small  beside  the  Spaniard. 

'"  Shall  I  keep  an  eye  on  their  steersman  ?  "  asked 
Roger,  seeing  that  a  move  on  the  latter's  part  might 
yet  take  the  enemy  away.  "  If  he  puts  his  helm 
over,  we  shall  have  their  guns  pouring  their  shot 
down  our  decks,  while  our  own  small  cannon  will 
hardly  serve  better  than  my  crossbow.  See,  Sir 
Thomas,  a  shaft  from  my  weapon  would  reach  from 
here." 

"Tis  a  good  thought.  Hold  the  fellow  in  your 
eye,  and  if  he  makes  a  move  to  throw  us  apart,  fire 
at  him.  Stay  here  while  I  go  to  the  gunners." 

By  now  the  crew  of  the  brigantine  were  over- 
flowing with  eagerness,  for  it  had  been  hard  work 
lying  behind  the  rail  to  be  fired  at  without  hope  of 
retaliation.  .  Now  the  chance  was  coming,  and  the 
men  could  be  seen  moistening  their  hands  ere  they 
seized  their  pikes  or  cutlasses,  while  the  gunners 
blew  at  their  port-fires  and  squinted  along  the 
cannon.  Not  that  they  could  take  aim  yet  at  the 
enemy,  for  the  latter  was  on  a  course  which  would 
take  her  across  the  bows  of  the  brigantine,  and  it 
was  impossible  to  slew  the  guns  round  sufficiently. 

38 


Off  to  the  Terra  Firma 

"We  must  make  the  most  of  the  opportunity 
when  we  are  near,"  said  Sir  Thomas,  as  he  returned. 
"  But  I  fancy  that  they  will  run  on  this  course  till 
almost  crossing  our  stem.  Then  they  will  come 
over  and  sail  on  our  course,  while  their  stern  guns 
pour  shot  into  us.  You  must  see  that  the  movement 
is  not  carried  out." 

Roger  nodded,  and  drew  back  the  bow  of  his 
weapon,  fitting  a  shaft  with  care  and  accuracy.  He 
had  been  accustomed  to  the  weapon  from  his  earliest 
days,  since  he  had  had  the  strength  to  use  one,  and 
he  was  a  fine  shot. 

"  He  is  about  to  move,  sir,"  he  suddenly  ex- 
claimed, bringing  the  crossbow  to  his  shoulder. 
"  Yes,  he  is  pushing  at  the  helm." 

Thanks  to  the  high  stern  of  the  enemy,  it  was 
easy  to  pick  out  the  steersman  and  to  observe  his 
movements.  By  now  the  Spaniard  was  about  to 
pass  the  bows  of  the  brigantine,  and  as  she  came  to 
that  position,  the  steersman  pushed  at  the  helm, 
while  men  were  seen  running  to  the  braces.  Roger 
took  a  quick  aim  and  fired. 

"Hit!"  shouted  Sir  Thomas.  "A  brave  shot, 
and  see  what  it  brings  us." 

He  pointed  excitedly,  for  the  tiller  had  fallen  from 
the  hands  of  the  Spanish  steersman,  while  the  un- 
happy fellow,  struck  in  the  breast  by  Roger's  shaft, 
staggered  against  the  rail  of  the  vessel.  The  failure 
to  steer  at  that  moment  was  fatal,  for  instead  of 
coming  up  into  her  new  course,  the  prow  of  the 
Spanish  ship  paid  off  at  once,  and  she  swung  across 
the  stem  of  the  brigantine.  Instantly  the  master 
aboard  the  latter  put  his  helm  over  a  little,  and  ere 
the  enemy  could  recover  from  their  astonishment, 

39 


Roger  the  Bold 


or  send  a  relief  to  the  helm,  the  English  ship  was 
forging  along  on  an  almost  parallel  course  which, 
thanks  to  the  fact  that  the  other  vessel  had  almost 
lost  way,  brought  her  quickly  into  range.  Then, 
indeed,  did  the  men-at-arms  and  the  adventurers 
give  back  what  they  had  received.  Crossbow  bolts 
and  arquebus  bullets  flew  at  the  Spaniards,  while 
the  little  cannon  shot  forth  their  missiles.  Then  the 
prow  of  the  brigantine  struck  the  enemy  heavily  on 
the  beam,  and,  sheering  off  a  few  feet,  came  into 
contact  again. 

"Aboard  her !  To  the  rails !  "  shouted  the  English 
leader. 

;  He  seized  his  cutlass,  and  sprang  on  to  the  rail. 
A  rope  gave  him  an  opportunity  of  clambering  up 
the  high  sides  of  the  enemy,  while  Roger's  stal- 
wart arm  gave  him  a  heave  which  sent  him  with  a 
swing  on  to  the  higher  deck.  Then  our  hero  followed, 
Philip  hard  on  his  heels,  while  the  remainder  of  the 
ship's  company  swarmed  up  wherever  and  whenever 
they  could,  leaving  a  few  to  lash  the  vessels  to- 
gether. A  moment  later  all  were  engaged  in  a  fierce 
struggle  with  the  Spaniards,  at  whose  head  fought 
a  noble  in  complete  armour. 


CHAPTER  III 
Roger  the  Lieutenant 

THE  men  of  England  clambered  aboard  the  huge 
Spaniard  like  so  many  monkeys,  pikes  and 
swords  gripped  in  their  hands.  Roger,  accompanied 
by  his  bosom  friend  Philip,  followed  close  on  the 
heels  of  the  commander,  the  former  carrying  a  pike, 
while  Philip  bore  a  short  sword. 

"  Rally  !  Rally,  men  of  England ! "  shouted  Sir 
Thomas,  as  he  ran  forward  to  oppose  the  Spanish 
leader.  "  Throw  yourselves  upon  them  and  sweep 
them  from  the  decks ! " 

"  We  have  them  in  our  hands,"  called  out  the 
Spaniard.  "  We  outnumber  them  by  two  to  one. 
Now,  one  rush  and  they  are  gone  back  to  their  own 
cockleshell.  Together !  cut  them  down ! " 

There  was  no  doubt  that  both  sides  were  stub- 
bornly determined  to  gain  the  day,  the  Spaniards 
perhaps  because  they  hardly  knew  what  it  was  at 
those  times  to  meet  with  defeat,  and  the  English 
because  of  their  natural  determination  to  win,  and 
perhaps  for  the  reason  that  defeat  meant  so  much 
to  them.  It  was  therefore  with  furious  courage 
that  they  attacked  the  enemy,  their  leader  crossing 
swords  with  Sir  Thomas.  Roger  found  himself 
opposed  to  a  man  of  medium  height,  who  wielded  a 
sword  with  wonderful  dexterity. 

41 


Roger  the  Bold 

"We  have  a  giant  to  fight  against,"  cried  out 
this  veteran,  with  a  laugh.  "  Then  see  how  I  will 
cut  him  down.  See  me  slay  the  English  giant." 

"  And  look  to  yourself  that  the  giant  does  not 
run  you  through !  " 

In  the  excitement  of  the  moment  Roger  forgot 
all  caution,  and  wildly  lunged  at  his  enemy.  But 
this  Spanish  man-at-arms  was  a  well-tried  warrior, 
and  he  stepped  aside  with  an  easy  movement,  and 
with  a  disdainful  smile  on  his  lips. 

"  For  all  your  height,  but  a  child,  Englishman," 
he  said.  "  I  will  kill  you  before  five  minutes  have 
passed,  and  then  will  your  side  be  without  its 
interpreter." 

He  set  to  work  at  once  in  earnest,  and  Roger 
had  as  much  as  he  could  do  to  defend  himself. 
Indeed,  he  was  never  able  to  take  the  offensive,  for 
the  merest  attempt  at  a  lunge  was  met  so  swiftly 
with  such  a  rapid  presentation  of  the  point  of  the 
sword  wielded  by  his  opponent,  that  he  narrowly 
escaped.  And  if  he  could  not  touch  his  enemy,  the 
Spaniard  could  not  do  as  he  had  sworn.  Twice  he 
had  contrived  to  slightly  wound  Roger;  but  our 
hero  merely  smiled,  for  they  were  but  pricks.  And 
now  the  press  of  the  conflict  was  separating  them. 
On  every  side  men  fought  like  furies,  the  clash  of 
weapons  being  heard  amidst  the  shouts.  Here  and 
there  a  man  fell  heavily  to  the  deck,  or  staggered  to 
the  rail,  there  to  lean  against  it  while  his  hands 
clasped  the  wound. 

But  the  English  were  gaining  the  centre  of  the 
deck.  At  the  voice  of  their  leader  they  advanced 
together  by  means  of  rushes,  slashing  fiercely,  and 
sweeping  the  enemy  back.  And  itkwas  in  one  of 

42 


Roger  the  Lieutenant 

these  that  the  Spaniard  who  had  opposed  Roger 
endeavoured  to  fulfil  his  promise.  He  gave  way 
before  the  onslaught  of  the  enemy,  enticing  Roger 
to  follow.  Then  he  turned  like  a  tiger  at  bay,  and 
fell  upon  the  Englishman. 

"  A  promise  is  a  promise,"  he  said.  "  Now  I  will 
kill  you  as  I  said." 

He  very  nearly  accomplished  his  purpose  too, 
for  his  sword  descended  with  tremendous  force  on 
Roger's  steel  cap,  severing  the  handle  of  the  pike 
on  its  way.  Indeed,  had  he  been  a  foot  shorter 
the  blow  would  certainly  have  killed  him.  But  it 
merely  dented  the  steel  cap,  and  caused  him  to 
stagger  forward,  dropping  the  end  of  the  pike.  It 
was  a  fine  opportunity,  and  the  Spaniard  seized 
upon  it. 

"  He  felt  the  blow,"  he  shouted.  "  Now  he  shall 
not  feel  it  so  much.  This  to  settle  the  matter 
between  us." 

But  he  had  spoken  too  quickly,  for  though  Roger 
had  staggered  forward  on  to  hands  and  knees,  and, 
in  fact,  was  in  a  position  where  his  adversary  could 
easily  despatch  him,  yet  some  fortunate  chance 
caused  our  hero  to  act  in  a  manner  which  saved  his 
life.  Had  he  snatched  at  the  severed  pike  and  tried 
to  rise  he  would  certainly  have  been  cut  down.  But 
finding  himself  sprawling  forward  at  the  feet  of  the 
enemy,  he  stretched  to  his  full  length  on  the  deck, 
and  with  a  rapid  movement  grasped  the  legs  of  the 
Spaniard  and  lifted  them  from  the  boards.  Then  he 
flung  them  upward  so  quickly  that  the  man  crashed 
back  upon  the  deck,  striking  it  a  heavy  blow  with 
his  head.  A  second  later  Roger  had  taken  his  sword 
and  had  rejoined  his  comrades. 

43 


Roger  the  Bold 

"A  narrow  escape,"  gasped  Philip.  "You  gave 
the  fellow  a  fine  toss,  and  one  which  will  last  him  a 
lifetime.  Look  at  him ;  he  moves,  and  is  crawling 
away.  If  looks  could  annihilate,  then  our  giant 
would  be  gone.  But  what  will  be  the  next  move  ? 
That  toss  you  gave  seems  to  have  been  the  signal 
for  a  pause  in  the  fighting." 

This  was,  in  fact,  what  had  happened.  By  mutual 
and  unspoken  consent  the  combatants  had  drawn 
away  from  one  another  for  the  moment,  and  stood 
glaring  across  the  narrow  stretch  of  deck,  while 
they  leaned  on  their  weapons  and  breathed  heavily. 
But  the  respite  was  not  to  be  long  enjoyed,  and 
presently,  at  a  shout  from  Sir  Thomas,  the  men 
from  the  brigantine  threw  themselves  once  more 
upon  the  Spaniards. 

"  We  will  drive  them  to  the  far  end  of  the  deck," 
he  said,  "and  then  do  you,  Roger  de  Luce,  call  upon 
them  to  surrender.  Now,  my  men,  let  us  see  who 
likes  fighting  the  best." 

There  was  no  lack  of  enthusiasm  amongst  the 
gallant  crew  which  had  so  recently  sailed  from 
England,  and  though  the  enemy  were  stubborn, 
and  fought  with  a  fury  and  disregard  of  danger 
which  had  already  won  them  fame,  they  were  com- 
pelled to  retire  before  the  attackers.  Struggling 
for  every  inch  of  the  deck,  they  were  slowly  forced 
back  till  the  tall  poop  stood  as  a  barrier  behind  them. 
Then  it  was  that  Roger's  knowledge  of  the  language 
saved  his  countrymen. 

"  Beware,  Sir  Thomas! "  he  shouted,  working  his 
way  to  their  leader.  "  I  heard  the  Spanish  captain 
calling  upon  his  men  to  prepare  to  spring  aside 
while  the  guns  were  fired.  They  are  screened 

44 


Roger  the  Lieutenant 

behind  the  men,  and  the  gunners  are  ready  now 
with  the  port  fires." 

"Then  let  every  man  fall  flat  upon  the  deck 
when  Roger  de  Luce  gives  us  the  word,"  shouted 
Sir  Thomas  "  Now,  on  to  them  again  ! " 

A  minute  later  there  was  a  loud  call  from  the 
Spanish  leader,  and  at  once  the  enemy  broke  from 
the  Englishmen,  and  fled  to  the  rails  of  the  ship, 
disclosing  a  couple  of  big  guns  in  rear  which  till 
that  moment  had  been  practically  hidden.  But  now 
they  were  ready  to  sweep  the  English  into  the  sea, 
and  were  crammed  to  the  muzzle  with  all  kinds  of 
bullets  and  scraps  of  iron  and  lead. 

"  Fall  flat ! "  shouted  Roger,  setting  the  example 
by  throwing  himself  prone  upon  the  deck.  "  Down, 
every  one  of  you !  " 

The  warning  had  come  none  too  soon,  and  un- 
doubtedly, had  it  not  been  for  his  knowledge  of  the 
Spanish  language,  the  English  crew  would  have 
been  annihilated.  As  it  was,  they  were  barely  upon 
their  faces  before  two  loud  explosions  shook  the 
galleon,  and  a  mass  of  iron  and  lead  shrieked  over 
them,  and,  spreading  widely,  ploughed  a  huge  hole 
in  the  bulwarks.  It  was  a  lucky  escape,  in  fact,  and 
Sir  Thomas  at  once  prepared  to  make  the  most  of 
it.  But  he  was  to  meet  with  still  more  trouble,  for 
the  Spaniards  were  not  yet  beaten,  and  still  out- 
numbered his  own  men.  And,  worse  than  that,  a 
shout  from  one  of  them,  and  a  turning  of  the  heads 
of  all,  called  his  attention  elsewhere.  Then  he  gave 
vent  to  a  cry  of  consternation. 

"Another  ship,  and  larger  than  this,  T  fancy," 
he  called  out.  "  She  is  bearing  down  upon  us 
from  the  island,  and  will  be  here  in  less  than  an 

45 


Roger  the  Bold 


hour.  We  are  lost  if  we  do  not  retire.  Back  to  the 
ship,  men.  Cut  the  lashings  and  let  us  be  gone." 

"  But  then  we  shall  be  followed  by  this  same 
ship,  sir,"  shouted  Roger.  "Cut  her  masts  down 
before  we  go.  It  will  take  only  a  few  minutes,  and 
the  axes  are  here." 

He  waited  to  see  whether  his  commander  would 
approve,  and  then  rushed  to  the  rack  which  stood 
at  the  foot  of  one  of  the  masts,  and  which  held 
three  big  axes,  placed  there  for  the  very  purpose 
for  which  they  were  now  to  be  used. 

"  Come,  Philip,"  he  shouted.  "  We  will  have 
the  masts  so  weak  in  a  minute  that  they  will  not 
carry  canvas,  while  our  comrades  can  hold  the 
enemy.  There.  Take  an  axe,  and  cut  to  the 
leeward  side." 

They  fell  upon  the  axes  with  even  greater  fury 
than  they  had  shown  some  minutes  before,  and  at 
once  attacked  the  larger  of  the  two  masts  carried 
in  the  waist  of  the  galleon.  A  third  rose  from  the 
poop ;  but  this  could  not  be  got  at,  and  in  any  case 
was  unimportant,  for  it  could  not  carry  sufficient 
canvas  to  matter.  And  as  they  hacked  at  the  wood, 
Sir  Thomas  and  his  men  held  the  enemy  in  check, 
beating  back  their  frantic  efforts  to  gain  more  of  the 
deck  and  frustrate  the  efforts  of  the  two  who  were 
cutting  at  the  masts.  Roger  and  his  comrade  took 
not  the  slightest  notice  of  them,  but  instead  ran  to 
the  second  mast  as  soon  as  the  first  had  been  more 
than  half  cut  through. 

"  It  will  fall  the  instant  the  ship  is  put  into  the 
wind,"  said  the  former.  "  If  we  were  to  cut  deeper 
it  might  fall  now,  and  then  we  ourselves  and  the  men 
might  be  hurt,  or  even  the  spar  might  damage  or 

46 


Roger  the  Lieutenant 

imprison  the  brigantine.  Now  let  us  finish  this 
one." 

A  minute  later  they  shouted  to  Sir  Thomas,  and 
at  the  latter's  orders  the  men  began  to  retire  slowly, 
keeping  their  faces  to  the  enemy  all  the  while.  The 
latter  did  their  utmost  to  hamper  the  retirement, 
and  rushed  down  upon  the  English  furiously.  But 
they  could  make  no  impression.  The  same  stub- 
born, unbroken  front  was  presented,  and  at  the  last 
moment,  when  many  of  the  men  had  already  re- 
gained the  brigantine,  a  final  rush  and  a  furious 
onslaught  sent  the  enemy  flying. 

"  Now  over  the  rail  and  into  our  own  ship,"  said 
Sir  Thomas.  "  But  first  let  us  put  their  cannon  out 
of  action.  Come,  we  have  men  here  who  have  the 
strength,  and  those  friendly  discharges  which  should 
have  swept  us  away  have  done  us  a  service,  for  they 
have  cleared  the  rails.  Throw  yourselves  upon  the 
weapons  and  topple  them  overboard." 

It  was  an  excellent  step  to  take,  and  Roger  and 
his  comrades  carried  the  work  out  in  a  manner 
which  did  them  the  utmost  credit.  A  few  cuts  with 
sword  or  axe  severed  the  ropes  which  held  the 
guns  to  their  rings.  Then  a  dozen  pushed  at  the 
ponderous  weapons,  and  one  by  one  four  of  them 
were  thrown  into  the  sea. 

"Now  retire,"  said  Sir  Thomas;  "and  do  you, 
Roger  de  Luce,  ask  the  name  of  the  commander 
here." 

Our  hero  at  once  stood  forward,  his  axe  over  his 
shoulder,  and  his  dented  cap  tipped  to  the  back  of 
his  head.  A  fine,  gallant  young  fellow  he  looked, 
too,  with  his  fair  hair  and  his  open  features.  His 
head  was  held  erect,  and  there  was  a  look  about  him 

47 


Roger  the  Bold 


which  told  of  infinite  assurance  in  himself  and  his 
comrades. 

"  From  my  master,  the  commander  of  the  brigan- 
tine,"  he  called  out.  "  He  desires  to  learn  the  name 
of  the  brave  commander  of  this  Spanish  galleon." 

"  Then  answer  thus."  The  leader  of  the  Spani- 
ards stepped  to  the  centre  of  the  deck,  his  helmet 
discarded,  and  showing  a  bearded,  strong  face.  He 
was  covered  in  every  other  part  by  beautifully  made 
armour,  and  a  sword  was  gripped  in  one  hand. 
Resting  the  tip  of  it  on  the  deck,  he  leaned  upon  the 
hilt  and  looked  towards  Sir  Thomas.  "  I  am  Don 
Cabeza  de  Vaca,"  he  said,  "  and  I  would  ask  for  the 
name  of  my  opponent." 

"  He  is  Sir  Thomas  Brice,  commander  of  the 
brigantine." 

"  Then  tell  him  that  I  honour  him  as  a  valiant 
foe,  and  that  I  counsel  him  to  depart  from  these 
waters.  If  he  escapes  the  ship  which  now  bears  down 
upon  us  he  will  meet  with  others,  for  we  are  on  the 
watch.  He  will  be  wise  to  retire  to  England,  for  in 
these  waters  he  will  meet  with  opposition,  and  if 
captured  will  be  executed.  This  is  my  friendly 
warning  to  a  gallant  foe." 

Roger  rapidly  translated  the  words,  and  waited 
for  his  leader's  answer. 

"  Tell  the  brave  Don  that  I  thank  him  for  his 
advice,  but  cannot  follow  it,  even  if  I  would.  Let 
him  know  that  nothing  shall  keep  me  from  sailing 
on." 

A  minute  later  the  Spaniard  retired  to  the  centre 
of  his  men,  and  Roger  clambered  over  the  rail  and 
down  to  the  deck  of  the  brigantine.  Already  the 
majority  of  the  lashings  had  been  cast  loose,  and  a 

43 


Roger  the  Lieutenant 

few  cuts  with  a  knife  severed  what  remained.  Then 
the  vessels  drifted  apart,  while  the  crews  watched 
one  another.  But  there  was  a  strong  breeze  blow- 
ing, and  the  sails  catching  this,  the  brigantine 
very  soon  left  her  opponent  in  the  distance.  As 
for  the  Spanish  vessel,  it  turned  out  that  things 
happened  as  Roger  had  prophesied;  for  the  minute 
that  she  was  thrown  on  to  a  course  to  follow  the 
English,  the  pull  of  her  sails  caused  the  weakened 
masts  to  crack,  and  they  came  thundering  down 
across  her  decks.  She  was  left  a  complete  wreck, 
disarmed  and  helpless. 

"  We  will  crack  on  every  stitch  of  canvas  which 
we  possess,"  said  Sir  Thomas,  as  the  brigantine 
increased  her  distance  from  the  vessel  with  which 
she  had  just  been  in  action.  "  What  are  our  chances, 
master?  Will  yonder  big  galleon  overhaul  us 
easily  ?  " 

"  Ay,  Sir  Thomas.  She  will  sail  five  feet  to  our 
four,  and  will  come  up  with  us.  But  when,  is  the 
question  which  we  have  to  settle.  It  is  just  past 
noon  now,  and  she  is  some  leagues  away.  I  should 
say  that  her  guns  will  speak  to  us  as  the  dusk  falls, 
and  we  shall  disappear  in  the  darkness  as  she  gets 
to  closer  action.  Then  your  honour  must  decide 
which  course  to  take.  You  might  attempt  to  take 
them  by  the  board,  as  in  this  last  case." 

"  And  in  that  should  lose  more  of  my  men.  No ; 
I  think  that  I  will  take  a  shrewder  Action,  for  I  can- 
not afford  to  lose  more.  Even  now  I  do  not  know 
what  our  losses  have  been,  though  I  fear  that  they 
are  heavy.  But  at  night  the  gravest  accidents 
happen.  We  might  run  us  aboard  this  galleon,  and 
when  we  were  on  her  deck  some  of  the  enemy  might 

(B  6(6)  49  D 


Roger  the  Bold 

cut  the  lashings  and  send  us  adrift  Come  hither, 
Roger  de  Luce,  well  called  our  giant,  for  you  are 
strong  in  limb,  and  a  power  to  us  also  in  that  you 
are  our  only  interpreter.  Glad  am  I  to  see  you 
secure  and  safe,  for  at  one  time,  as  I  looked  in  the 
midst  of  the  mdee  I  thought  that  that  red-bearded 
Spaniard  would  give  you  the  coup  de  grace.  You 
flung  him  finely,  and  by  a  clever  trick,  quickly 
thought  on,  and  still  more  rapidly  adopted.  That 
shows  that  you  have  a  ready  wit  besides  strength  of 
arm,  and  reminds  me  that  to  you  we  owe  the  fact  that 
yonder  galleon  is  not  now  pounding  us  with  her 
shot.  For  had  the  masts  still  stood,  she  would  have 
covered  them  with  canvas  and  come  after  us,  with 
the  hope  of  taking  us  before  the  arrival  of  her  con- 
sort. Such  efforts  do  men  make  to  obtain  the  whole 
share  of  honour  and  warlike  glory.  Yes,  'twas  a 
fine  manoeuvre,  and  it  has  placed  them  out  of  action. 
We  owe  you  much,  and,  as  a  sign  of  my  good  favour, 
I  herewith  appoint  you  my  lieutenant,  for  there  are 
vacancies,  I  grieve  to  say.  Now,  you  have  given  us 
a  lead  before ;  the  master  says  that  as  the  dusk  falls 
yonder  ship  will  have  the  range  of  us,  and  that  as 
night  comes  her  shot  will  be  pounding  into  us. 
What  shall  be  our  action  in  these  circumstances?" 
He  stood  leaning  on  his  sword,  still  breathing 
heavily,  for  he  had  fought  with  all  his  strength  and 
energy,  and  had  made  an  able  and  gallant  leader. 
Nor  was  his  appearance  less  dignified  or  grand  than 
that  of  Don  Cabeza  de  Vaca ;  for  he  also  was  dressed 
in  the  full  armour  of  that  period,  armour  beneath 
the  weight  of  which  many  a  man  would  have  groaned, 
particularly  in  that  hot  climate.  But  Sir  Thomas 
was  in  his  own  way  a  fine  Englishman,  sturdy  and 

50 


Roger  the  Lieutenant 

broad-shouldered,  and  hardened  to  much  fatigue  by 
long  warring  with  France.  The  point  of  his  weapon 
pierced  the  deck  as  he  leaned  upon  it,  while  he 
pushed  up  the  portion  of  his  helmet  which  protected 
the  face,  and  hooked  it  into  position  so  that  it  would 
not  fall  again. 

"  Come,  Sir  Giant,"  he  said  with  a  gay  laugh,  the 
laugh  of  one  who  knows  that  he  and  his  men  have 
done  well,  and  who  feels  relieved  and  gratified  there- 
by, "  tell  us  whither  to  go  next,  and  how  to  hood- 
wink these  crafty  Spaniards." 

"  Will  the  master  say  what  would  happen  were 
we  to  keep  steadily  on  this  course  during  the  night  ?  " 
demanded  Roger,  flushing  at  the  honour  done  him, 
and  at  the  thought  of  his  promotion,  a  promotion 
quite  unexpected. 

"  I  can  say  that  with  ease,"  was  the  answer,  as 
the  master  cast  an  eye  aloft  and  shouted  to  the 
sailors  to  direct  them  as  to  the  spreading  of  more 
sail.  "  We  may  put  on  sheet  after  sheet,  and  still 
that  galleon  will  outsail  us,  for  she  has  bigger  masts 
and  yards,  and  carries  a  bigger  proportion  of  canvas. 
She  will  overhaul  us  of  a  surety,  and  were  the 
night  promising  to  be  dark,  might  easily  ride  past 
us.  But  the  sky  is  clear.  Fine  weather  is  before 
us,  and  the  moon  rises  at  an  early  hour." 

"  So  that  to  continue  as  we  go  will  mean  another 
action,  with  an  enemy  who  is  fresh,  while  we  are 
sore  knocked  about,  and  who,  moreover,  has  a 
galleon  to  fight  from,  while  we  have  only  a  brigan- 
tine,  which  looks  more  like  a  ship's  boat  beside 
these  Spanish  monsters." 

"  That  is  as  I  have  said,"  admitted  the  master. 
"  If  we  continue  we  are  face  to  face  with  an  enemy 

51 


Roger  the  Bold 


determined  to  sink  us,  and  one  which  can  sail  round 
and  round  us  in  a  ring,  pounding  us  with  her  cannon. 
Then,  too,  the  night  is  bound  to  be  fine,  and  her 
marksmen  will  make  fine  use  of  the  moonlight." 

"  If  we  remain,"  said  Roger,  with  a  cunning 
smile.  "  But  the  moon  does  not  come  up  at  the 
instant  that  the  night  falls.  Last  evening,  when 
I  was  on  the  watch,  it  did  not  rise  till  some  four 
hours  were  passed." 

"  Which  is  early,  I  take  it,"  said  the  master. 
"  To-night  she  will  shine  within  some  three  hours 
of  the  dusk." 

"Then  we  must  make  the  most  of  those  three 
hours,  sir,"  exclaimed  Roger,  turning  to  the  knight 
who  commanded  the  brigantine.  "  Why  should  we 
not  set  this  course,  and  keep  it  in  full  view  of  the 
Spaniard  till  the  night  comes  ?  Then  let  us  swing 
round,  and,  after  sailing  some  leagues  to  left  or 
right,  make  up  for  the  island  of  Cuba  again  ?  " 

"  But,  surely,  that  would  be  madness,"  exclaimed 
Sir  Thomas,  stepping  back  and  looking  at  his  young 
lieutenant  in  astonishment,  while  he  secretly  won- 
dered whether  he  had  not,  after  all,  overrated 
Roger's  acuteness,  and  promoted  him  somewhat 
hastily  and  rashly.  "Surely,  my  lad,  that  would 
be  placing  our  heads  in  the  very  mouth  of  this 
Spanish  lion.  This  island  of  Cuba  is  the  strong- 
hold of  the  lieutenants  who  act  for  King  Ferdinand 
of  Spain,  and  we  may  be  sure  that  they  will  protect 
it  for  his  Catholic  Majesty.  Our  coming  to  the 
island,  our  being  near  it,  indeed,  would  lead  to  a 
descent  upon  us  in  far  greater  force.  Likely 
enough  we  should  be  hemmed  in  and  taken." 

"  If  seen,  sir,"  said  Roger,  quietly.    "  My  opinion 

52 


Roger  the  Lieutenant 

was  given  in  view  of  the  necessity  which  seems  to 
exist  for  refitting.  Look  at  the  decks !  Even  our 
spars  will  require  attention,  while  the  carpenter 
tells  you  that  two  of  the  Spanish  shot  struck 
between  wind  and  water.  Those  rents  have  been 
hastily  repaired,  and  may  withstand  the  strain  of 
the  water  for  a  time.  But  if  we  were  to  meet  with 
a  storm  as  we  proceed,  our  case  would  certainly 
be  worse  than  were  we  on  the  coast  of  Cuba,  with 
Spanish  ships  and  enemies  about  us."  | 

The  argument  was  concise  and  clear,  and  Roger 
stood  there,  looking  now  at  the  knight  and  then 
at  the  master,  watching  their  troubled  faces,  and 
wondering  what  action  they  would  take.  Would 
they  spurn  the  advice  thus  sought  from  their  newly 
promoted  lieutenant, — from  him  who  had  come  for- 
ward with  his  plan  of  cutting  the  masts  of  the  galleon 
at  such  a  critical  moment  ?  Would  they  decide  to 
take  some  opposite  course  than  that  recommended 
them  by  the  lad  who  but  a  few  hours  before  had 
been  a  raw  crossbow  youth,  unused  to  war,  inex- 
perienced in  action,  and  whose  sole  recommenda- 
tions were  his  height,  his  great  strength,  and  his 
valuable  knowledge  of  the  Spanish  language  ?  To 
Roger  it  was  a  moment  in  his  life.  He  had  given 
thought  to  this  question  of  escape  from  the  enemy  ; 
he  saw  that  the  brigantine  was  sadly  crippled, 
that  her  crew  were  badly  hurt  from  the  late  action, 
and  that  refitting  and  rest  were  essential  to  future 
success.  More  than  that,  like  Sir  Thomas,  he 
realized  that  a  second  action  with  an  enemy  who 
were  fresh,  and  with  a  galleon  of  even  greater 
power,  could  end  in  but  one  way.  The  English 
might  beat  off  the  Spaniards — might  even,  with 

53 


Roger  the  Bold 


superhuman  gallantry,  capture  this  following 
galleon ;  but  their  numbers  would  be  again 
reduced,  and  probably  very  largely. 

"  Besides,"  he  added,  as  if  he  had  been  speaking 
his  thoughts  aloud,  "  even  if  we  do  not  make  for 
the  island,  this  vessel  will  follow  during  the  follow- 
ing day,  and  she  or  other  consorts  will  discover  us. 
Were  we  in  the  best  condition  all  would  be  well, 
but  we  are  crippled.  Our  men  are  hurt,  and,  more 
than  that,  in  the  open  sea  the  Spaniards  can  nearly 
certainly  laugh  at  us." 

"  The  lad  is  right.  He  has  seen  farther  than  we 
have,  and  gives  us  sound  and  good  advice,"  said 
Sir  Thomas,  slowly,  his  brow  all  furrowed,  as  one 
could  see  through  the  opening  in  his  helmet. 
"  Then  you  advise  that  we  make  for  this  island  of 
Cuba?  Come,  Sir  Giant,  set  that  brain  to  work 
and  aid  us.  We  are  not  too  proud  to  seek  help  and 
good  counsel  from  even  the  youngest,  providing 
he  has  proved  his  ability.  Often  have  I  seen  the 
humblest  soldier  do  service  in  this  manner  when 
at  the  wars.  And,  besides,  you  have  travelled.  You 
have  seen  strange  lands  and  people,  and  there  is 
nought  like  that  to  educate  the  mind.  Some  day, 
may  be,  you  will  command  an  expedition  like  this, 
and  look  back  upon  this  day  when  your  courage 
and  good  sense  were  put  to  the  test" 

Roger  blushed  red  to  the  roots  of  his  hair.  He 
drew  himself  to  the  full  of  his  height,  looking  proud 
and  happy,  for  he  had  tried.  While  others  merely 
looked  to  themselves,  his  was  the  mind  which 
thought  of  the  future,  which  tried  to  arrange  for 
the  welfare  of  the  crew  of  the  brigantine.  And  for 
that  reason,  when  Sir  Thomas  first  turned  to  him, 

64 


Roger  the  Lieutenant 

he  was  ready  with  his  answer.  It  was,  indeed,  an 
honour  to  be  taken  so  seriously,  to  feel  that  the 
action  of  the  commander  of  this  vessel  rested  with 
him,  and  that  his  was  the  brain  which  had  thought 
out  the  course  which  should  be  taken.  He  awoke 
to  the  fact  that  the  two  standing  watching  him  were 
waiting  for  an  answer,  and  thereat  the  colour  again 
surged  to  his  cheeks. 

"What  next?"  demanded  Sir  Thomas.  "We 
bear  up  for  the  island " 

"  And  endeavour  to  give  these  Spaniards  the 
slip  as  we  change  course,"  said  Roger.  "  Then  we 
steer  straight  for  Cuba,  and,  with  the  aid  of  the 
moon,  come  in  touch  with  the  land  before  those 
ashore  can  see  us.  Then  again  our  course  should 
be  altered.  Westward  is  our  destination,  and  I 
advise  that  we  sail  along  to  the  western  extremity 
of  the  island.  There,  as  the  dawn  comes,  we  will 
creep  into  some  inlet,  where  we  can  refit,  and  where, 
from  the  hills  about,  we  can  set  a  watch  on  the 
country  and  the  sea." 

"  A  plan  which  will  fall  in  well  with  the  state 
of  the  island,"  exclaimed  the  knight,  "for  I  have 
information  that  the  western  end  has  few,  if  any, 
Spaniards  ;  that  the  natives  who  are  left  on  the 
land  have  drifted  thither,  and  there  defy  their 
enemies.  'Tis  said  that  these  Spanish  have  been 
vastly  cruel  to  these  unhappy  negroes,  and  that 
death  has  been  busy  with  them.  No  wonder,  then, 
if  they  fly  to  the  farthest  point,  there  to  live  as 
easily  as  possible  till  the  day  when  their  masters 
come  to  hunt  them  down  again,  to  take  them  to 
slave  in  the  mines." 

"  And  better  still,"  added  the  master,  "  for  this 
55 


Roger  the  Bold 


western  end  will  be  sheltered.  We  shall  have  the 
land  to  keep  off  the  prevailing  wind,  and  therefore 
shall  be  able  to  careen  the  brigantine  without  fear 
of  any  gale  which  may  arise.  I  am  with  you,  Sir 
Thomas,  in  thanking  this  tall  youth  for  his  service 
to  us.  He  may  be  the  means  of  helping  us  out  of  a 
trying  dilemma." 

"Then  it  is  agreed.  To-night,  as  the  darkness 
becomes  intense,  we  round  on  to  the  other  course, 
to  the  west  preferably.  Then  we  steer  for  a  league 
or  two  before  coming  up  into  the  straight  run  for 
the  island.  All  is  plain.  Get  your  preparations 
made  accordingly,  master.  And  now,  master  Roger, 
do  you  accompany  me  as  my  lieutenant.  It  shall  be 
published  to  all  how  you  have  done  service  for  us, 
and  for  what  reason  you  have  received  promotion. 
Let  us  make  a  round  and  look  to  our  damages." 

They  stepped  to  the  ladder  of  the  poop  and 
clambered  to  the  waist  of  the  ship,  where  the  chief 
damage  had  been  sustained.  And  here  they  saw 
that  the  shot  of  the  galleon  had  done  mischief  which 
warranted  a  complete  refitting ;  for  one  of  the  shot 
had  torn  the  deck  up  for  several  feet,  disclosing  the 
cross  beams,  and  leaving  a  gap  through  which 
masses  of  water  could  flow.  Then  the  rail  was  gone 
in  many  places,  while  sailors  were  even  then  busy 
at  work  with  the  carpenter  endeavouring  to  stop 
the  rents  between  wind  and  water.  A  tiny  seat  had 
been  secured  to  a  rope,  and  on  this  one  of  the  men 
had  been  lowered  over  the  side.  Roger  peeped  over 
at  him,  and  found  that  he  dangled  with  his  feet  in 
the  water,  and  that  he  was  engaged  in  tarring  the 
surface  of  a  stout  piece  of  canvas  which  he  had  just 
nailed  over  the  opening  left  by  the  shot. 

56 


Roger  the  Lieutenant 

"The  fellow  is  drenched  to  the  skin,  and  no 
doubt  has  had  to  do  a  portion  of  the  work  by  feeling 
under  the  water,"  said  Sir  Thomas.  "  But  I  deem 
that  this  rent  on  the  deck  is  of  even  greater  impor- 
tance. For  we  can  back  those  others  from  within, 
and  that  the  carpenter  is  no  doubt  now  seeing  to. 
But  this  other  is  too  large  for  our  planks,  and 
canvas  would  be  useless,  except  in  fine  weather. 
Were  it  to  blow  we  should  have  seas  aboard  us 
here,  and  one  huge  one  might  easily  swamp  us. 
More  than  ever  do  I  perceive  that  you  have  a 
shrewd  and  cunning  mind ;  that  you  are  one  of  the 
thinkers,  who  goes  about  the  world  and  his  business 
with  his  wits  alert,  and  not,  as  many  do,  half  asleep 
and  wandering.  To  Cuba  we  will  go,  and  there 
we  will  busy  ourselves  with  refitting.  Now  let.  us 
count  our  losses." 

A  few  questions  ascertained  the  fact  that  ten 
adventurers  and  men-at-arms  had  been  killed,  and 
that  some  twenty  others  had  been  wounded  more 
or  less  seriously.  As  Roger  and  the  commander 
crossed  the  deck  the  sailors  were  at  work  cleansing 
them  with  water  drawn  by  means  of  throwing  a 
wooden  bucket  overboard,  to  the  handle  of  which 
a  rope  was  attached.  Others  had  wet  swabs  in  their 
hands,  while,  again,  others  were  tossing  the  dead  into 
the  sea,  a  rough  and  ready,  but  the  only,  method  of 
giving  them  burial. 

A  few  hours  later  dusk  began  to  fall,  and  those 
aboard  the  brigantine  cast  anxious  eyes  upon  the 
galleon.  The  latter  had  closed  in  considerably. 
Indeed,  the  master  had  proved  an  excellent  prophet, 
for  just  as  the  light  began  to  fail  a  flash  spurted 
from  the  bows  of  the  Spaniard,  the  report  and  the 

57 


Roger  the  Bold 


ball  itself  following  afterwards.  The  missile  struck 
the  sea  once  or  twice,  ricocheting  beautifully ;  then 
it  plumped  into  the  water  some  three  hundred  yards 
astern  of  the  brigantine. 

"  By  nightfall  they  will  be  pounding  us,"  repeated 
the  master,  coming  to  Roger's  side.  "  But  we  shall 
outwit  them,  I  think.  If  not,  there  is  nothing  to 
hope  for  save  victory  in  an  attempt  to  carry  her  by 
the  board.  Not  again  can  we  hope  for  that  lucky 
shot  which  struck  the  steersman  and  allowed  us  to 
come  aboard  the  other  galleon." 

"  Ay !  I  had  forgotten.  'Twas  a  fine  shot  indeed," 
exclaimed  Sir  Thomas.  "  And  thereby  this  Roger 
de  Luce  showed  that  he  could  use  his  bow.  Who 
knows.  It  may  happen  that  in  the  near  future  the 
same  may  be  called  to  greater  use,  and  that  this 
Roger  may  have  to  bless  his  prowess  for  the  pre- 
servation of  his  life." 

Who  could  say,  indeed?  Who  can  tell  the 
future?  But  if  the  facts  were  looked  at  quietly 
and  carefully  it  was  more  than  probable  that 
Roger  would  have  to  make  good  use  of  his 
crossbow.  And  not  he  alone ;  for  would  not 
every  member  of  the  crew  of  the  brigantine  have 
to  fight  for  dear  life  once  the  Spaniards  were 
really  encountered.  Could  this  audacious  expe- 
dition hope  to  reach  the  city  depicted  upon  the 
plaque,  and  wrest  its  riches  from  the  Spaniards 
without  bloodshed  and  fighting?  And,  besides, 
what  of  the  owners  of  this  city,  the  lawful  pos- 
sessors of  the  treasure  ?  " 

Happily  few,  if  any,  gave  a  thought  to  the  matter. 
The  crew,  from  their  leader  downward,  had  a  fine 
assurance  in  themselves  and  in  their  good  fortune, 

68 


Roger  the  Lieutenant 

and  they  put  aside  the  danger,  hoping  for  success 
in  their  venture. 

An  hour  later  night  had  fallen,  and  the  last  of 
the  enemy's  guns  had  thundered.  Not  a  single  shot 
had  struck  the  brigantine,  though  a  few  had  come 
dangerously  near.  There  was  a  cheer  from  the  men 
as  the  Spaniard  sank  out  of  sight,  while  all  eyes 
followed  the  movements  of  the  master. 

"Tis  too  light  yet,"  he  said  quietly  to  Sir 
Thomas.  "  I  can  still  see  the  forward  deck  and  the 
men  on  it.  When  they  are  gone,  then  shall  the 
word  be  given.  But  let  us  send  to  make  sure  that 
there  is  no  light  in  any  part  of  the  vessel." 

Roger  was  despatched  on  this  errand,  and  as  he 
came  back  with  his  report  that  all  was  right  the 
master  was  satisfied  that  the  time  had  come. 

"The  men  are  at  the  braces,"  said  the  latter. 
"  I  have  only  to  whistle  softly  and  they  will  pass 
the  signal.  Besides,  they  will  feel  the  movement  as 
I  put  the  tiller  over.  Now,  sir,  God  grant  that  we 
are  successful." 

He  leaned  his  whole  weight  against  the  tiller, 
and  caused  the  vessel  to  swerve.  Steps,  silent  and 
almost  unheard,  passed  across  the  deck  as  the 
brigantine  swung  into  her  new  course.  The  sails 
flapped  once  or  twice.  Then  the  wind  caught  them 
again,  and  in  less  than  a  minute  she  was  bowling 
along  at  right  angles  to  her  former  course.  It  was 
a  time  of  suspense.  Men  leaned  against  the  bul- 
warks staring  into  the  night,  while  the  commander 
and  the  master  tramped  the  poop,  and  hoped  that 
the  Spaniards  would  not  see  them.  An  hour  passed 
in  silence. 

"Over  with  the  helm  and  man  the  braces," 
59 


Roger  the   Bold 

whispered  the  master,  and  at  his  order  the  word 
was  passed.  Once  again  the  vessel  swayed,  and 
swung  to  a  new  direction,  and  as  the  moon  floated 
up  into  the  clear  sky  the  brigantine  was  sailing 
alone,  it  seemed,  through  a  silvery  waste,  her  look- 
out man  watching  for  a  sight  of  the  island  of  Cuba. 

"  And  you  are  a  lieutenant,  though  you  started 
merely  as  a  crossbow  man  and  as  interpreter.  Well, 
you  deserve  the  honour  and  your  good  fortune.  My 
father  says  that  it  was  your  action  which  threw  us 
aboard  that  first  galleon  and  saved  us  from  further 
pounding  from  her  guns,  and  your  forethought 
which  prevented  her  following.  And  now  the  ship 
knows  that  this  new  move  is  the  work  of  the  inter- 
preter. Truly,  I  envy  you  your  new  position,  but  I 
give  you  the  most  hearty  congratulations." 

It  was  Philip  who  spoke,  Philip,  who  had  already 
made  such  a  friend  of  our  hero.  And  the  pale  rays 
of  the  moon  shining  upon  his  handsome  face,  showed 
that  he  meant  every  word  that  he  had  said.  They 
gripped  hands  with  enthusiasm,  and  gripped  again 
as  the  look-out  man  sang  loudly  that  Cuba  was  in 
sight — Cuba,  the  stronghold  of  the  Spaniards,  the 
island  where  the  men  of  the  brigantine  were  to 
meet  with  events  of  the  utmost  importance. 


CHAPTER  IV 
The  Island  of  Cuba 

THANKS  to  the  brilliant  moon  which  floated  in 
the  sky,  the  master  of  the  brigantine  was  able 
to  sail  her  within  easy  distance  of  the  coast  of  Cuba 
without  fear  of  dashing  her  upon  the  land.  Then 
he  put  his  helm  down  again,  and  sent  the  good  ship 
along  towards  the  north-west,  his  look-outs  being 
on  the  watch  for  Spanish  vessels.  No  one  ventured 
to  sleep  that  night,  though  all  were  tired  out  after 
their  engagement.  Roger  would  have  slumbered 
as  he  stood  had  not  Sir  Thomas  detailed  him  to  aid 
the  apothecary  whom  the  ship  carried. 

"  Go  and  see  what  you  can  do  to  aid  him,"  he 
said.  "  The  work  will  interest  you  after  a  time,  and 
you  will  be  doing  good  for  your  comrades." 

Roger  took  Philip  with  him,  for  the  two  had 
become  inseparable,  and  they  dived  below  in  search 
of  the  surgeon,  a  wizened  man  of  fifty  years,  who 
struggled  to  do  all  that  was  necessary  by  the  aid  of 
a  feeble  glimmer,  all  that  could  be  allowed  him. 

"  Right  glad  shall  I  be  of  help,"  he  said,  lifting 
his  head  from  the  task  upon  which  he  was  engaged. 
"  No  lights  can  be  permitted  above  this  deck,  and 
in  consequence  our  wounded  have  to  be  on  the  level 
of  the  keel  almost.  Take  no  notice  of  the  water. 

61 


Roger  the  Bold 


None  leaks  in  now  that  the  canvas  has  been  nailed 
over  the  rents." 

The  wounded  aboard  the  brigantine  had,  in  fact, 
to  put  up  with  rough  quarters  for  the  time  being, 
for  Sir  Thomas  had  given  strict  orders  that  no  lights 
should  be  used,  and  had  only  permitted  this  feeble 
dip  in  the  lower-deck  space.  Round  the  sides  of  it 
were  gathered  the  wounded,  some  in  serious  con- 
dition, though  the  majority  were  able  to  sit  up  and 
talk.  The  place  was  hot  and  stuffy,  and  smelled 
strongly  of  boiling  oil,  some  of  which  was  even  then 
heating  over  a  brazier.  But  the  men  did  not  com- 
plain ;  instead,  they  discussed  the  battle  cheerfully, 
for  all  realized  that  a  stubborn  fight  had  been  made. 

"  We  have  given  them  a  taste  of  what  is  to  follow," 
said  one  of  the  men,  beckoning  to  Roger.  "  But  I 
warrant  that  but  for  our  giant's  help  we  should  not 
be  so  comfortable  to-night.  'Tis  not  the  pleasantest 
feeling  to  know  that  cannon,  and  large  cannon,  too, 
comrades,  are  firing  at  one.  One  ducks  the  head 
perhaps  when  on  deck ;  but  here  below,  when  a 
chance  shot  may  find  its  way  in  all  unexpected,  and 
then  the  blow  will  be  followed  by  a  deluge  of  water, 
and  perhaps  by  the  sinking  of  the  vessel,  why 
then ' 

"  It  is  somewhat  distasteful  to  feel  that  one  must 
be  drowned  in  a  cage,  that  one  must  go  to  the  bottom 
of  this  ocean  as  surely  as  a  dog  would  with  a  stone 
about  his  neck ;  that  is,  if  the  ocean  has  a  bottom, 
which  I  doubt." 

They  took  for  a  moment  or  two  to  the  discussion 
of  this  problem,  mentioning  many  superstitions  ;  for 
the  men  of  that  day  were  uneducated,  and  vastly 
superstitious.  They  even  imagined  that  once  they 

62 


The  Island  of  Cuba 

had  crossed  the  horizon  and  sailed  over  the  other 
side  they  would  be  unable  to  return ;  and  it  was 
this  thought  which  had  been  almost  the  ruin  of 
Columbus's  voyage.  However,  at  length  they  re- 
turned to  Roger. 

"  We  were  saying  that  shot  are  not  pleasant  at 
any  time,  and  particularly  down  here,"  said  the  first 
speaker ;  "  and  I  was  about  to  tell  all  who  may  not 
have  known  it  that  this  giant  of  ours  is  to  be  thanked 
specially  for  that.  Mayhap  all  know  now  that  it 
was  he  who  suggested  that  the  masts  of  the  galleon 
should  be  cut,  and  he  and  this  young  fellow  here 
carried  out  the  work.  Truly,  you  deserve  some 
recognition." 

"  Which  he  already  has  received,"  burst  in  Philip, 
"and  right  well  he  merits  it,  for  it  was  his  shaft 
which  threw  the  steersman  of  the  galleon  out  and 
enabled  us  to  come  alongside.  He  is  a  lieutenant 
now,  and  will  command  an  expedition  one  of  these 
days." 

"  Come,  come !  All  this  chatter  is  not  help," 
burst  in  the  surgeon.  "  Here  are  strips  of  coarse 
linen,  and  here  a  pot  of  hot  oil.  Now  we  will  see 
to  those  who  have  as  yet  had  no  attention.  I  will 
examine  their  wounds,  and  then  do  you  and  your 
friend  apply  the  dressings.  Already  I  have  seen 
that  severe  bleeding  has  been  stopped,  so  that  there 
will  be  no  great  difficulty." 

He  beckoned  Roger  and  Philip  to  follow  him, 
and  led  the  way  along  the  row  of  wounded  men. 
Our  hero  then  noticed  that  all  had  received  some 
attention,  those  whose  wounds  were  deep  and 
severe  having  a  tourniquet  or  a  bandage  tied  tightly 
about  the  limb.  The  surgeon  awoke  the  first  they 


Roger  the  Bold 


came  to,  for  the  poor  fellow  had  fallen  asleep,  and 
quickly  exposed  the  wound.  It  was  in  the  shoulder, 
and  was  a  clean  cut,  evidently  the  work  of  a  sword, 
and  had  penetrated  to  the  bone. 

"  A  heavy  blow,"  he  reflected ;  "and  it  cut  through 
the  leather  jerkin  and  the  armour  scales  sewn  to 
it.  Truly  a  straight  cut.  The  bone  stopped  the 
blade,  and  prevented  further  mischief.  Now,  sit 
so  while  my  helpers  dress  the  wound.  Come, 
Roger  de  Luce,  get  that  basin  of  water  and  bathe 
the  place  ;  then  dry  and  apply  the  oil  when  burning 
hot." 

It  was  trying  work  for  those  unaccustomed  to 
such  sights,  and  Roger  felt  the  same  feelings  of 
giddiness  which  he  had  experienced  as  the  cannon- 
shot  struck  the  men  down  on  deck.  His  head  swam, 
and  he  felt  sick.  The  surgeon  noticed  his  condition 
at  once,  and  spoke  sharply. 

"Do  not  give  way  to  silly  fancy,"  he  said  curtly. 
"  Get  the  basin,  and  let  me  see  you  commence  to 
work.  Help  is  required." 

The  words  came  at  a  timely  moment,  and  were 
spoken  in  a  manner  which  made  our  hero  writhe ; 
not  that  the  surgeon  meant  to  be  unkind,  as  he 
explained  later. 

"  I  could  see  that  you  were  a  strange  mixture," 
he  said,  with  a  grim  smile ;  "  that  you  were  brave 
in  the  fight,  and  fertile  in  resource  when  difficulty 
faced  you  ;  that  you  were  better  at  giving  wounds 
and  at  receiving  them,  if  need  be,  than  attending  to 
the  work  of  fighting  men.  You  would  have  fainted 
at  the  sight,  for  men  do  that  when  their  blood  is 
cold  and  such  matters  are  shown  to  them.  Then  I 
spoke,  and  you  rallied.  You  glared  at  me  as  though 

64 


The  Island  of  Cuba 

I  had  given  a  mortal  thrust,  and  then  seized  the 
basin." 

"  I  was  determined  to  be  a  help,  and  not  a 
hindrance.  I  hate  being  a  failure." 

"  And  you  strive  to  succeed  in  all  that  you  take 
up,"  said  the  surgeon.  "A  proper  desire,  and  one 
which  will  aid  in  giving  you  further  promotion. 
There  are  men,  and  lads  too — and  always  will  be,  I 
opine — who  will  go  about  the  world  drowsily  and 
too  lazy  to  care  what  happens  so  long  as  they  can 
win  drink  and  food.  Be  one  of  the  opposite  sort,  I 
counsel  you.  But,  no,  there  is  no  need  to  do  that. 
You  are  one  of  those  who  would  lead  a  strenuous 
life." 

Roger  would,  in  fact,  far  rather  have  suffered  any- 
thing than  have  fainted  or  proved  useless  at  such  a 
moment.  Just  as,  he  would  have  grieved  had  Sir 
Thomas  elected  to  spurn  the  advice  which  he  had 
given  within  a  few  minutes  of  his  promotion,  so 
would  he  have  shown  distress  had  he,  on  this  occa- 
sion, carried  out  his  orders  indifferently.  He  seized 
the  basin,  therefore,  reeled  for  a  moment,  and  then, 
with  an  effort  of  will,  composed  himself  for  the 
strange  task ;  and  very  soon  he  became  accustomed 
to  it.  His  hands  gently  bathed  the  wounds,  while  his 
sympathetic  words  comforted  the  men  as  the  hot 
oil  was  applied ;  for  it  was  the  custom  in  those  days 
to  dress  wounds  with  boiling  fat  or  oil,  and  the  pain 
of  such  a  procedure  can  be  imagined.  However, 
the  men  bore  it  stoically,  and  when  an  hour  had 
passed  all  were  comfortably  dressed. 

"  Your  services  have  been  invaluable,"  said  the 
surgeon,  "  and  I  shall  desire  Sir  Thomas  to  give  me 
the  loan  of  your  help  again.  Now  you  had  better 
WW)  65  g 


Roger  the  Bold 


retire.  I  shall  administer  a  soporific  to  these  men, 
and  then  shall  extinguish  the  light.  They  will  sleep 
till  morning,  I  trust,  and  awake  feeling  refreshed 
and  better." 

He  nodded  to  Philip  and  to  Roger,  who  at  once 
»  sprang  up  the  ladder.  They  were  almost  sorry  to 
be  gone,  for  the  task  which  had  appeared  so  difficult 
at  first  now  fascinated  them.  Indeed,  for  many  a 
day  after  that  they  came  every  morning  to  help 
the  surgeon,  an<}  thereby  gained  much  useful 
information. 

When  they  gained  the  deck  above,  and  Roger 
scrambled  to  the  poop  with  his  report  for  the  com- 
mander, the  moon  was  falling,  and  the  slanting  light 
made  it  difficult  to  see  the  island. 

"We  are  safe  in  any  case,"  said  Sir  Thomas, 
"  unless,  of  course,  there  should  be  rocks  hereabouts. 
In  an  hour  the  dawn  will  come,  and  then  we  must 
search  for  a  hiding-place.  Stand  beside  me,  Roger 
de  Luce,  and  tell  me  if  you  perceive  a  spot  which 
might  prove  suitable.  It  must  be  some  harbour 
protected  by  the  land  and  hidden  by  trees  or  some- 
thing else  which  will  prevent  those  on  the  shore 
from  espying  us." 

"Trees  would  be  the  better,  sir,"  said  Roger, 
quickly. 

"And  why?  Why  better  than  an  overhanging 
bluff,  which  would  completely  screen  us  ?  " 

"  Because  we  shall  require  wood.  Because  you 
have  already  said,  Sir  Thomas,  that  our  planks  are 
not  long  enough  to  fill  the  hole  in  our  deck." 

"  A  pest  upon  it !  The  lad  thinks  of  everything ! " 
laughed  the  commander.  "  I  must  have  you  as  my 
close  attendant.  But,  seriously,  Sir  Giant,  'tis  well 

66 


The  Island  of  Cuba  . 

to  cultivate  this  habit  of  seeking  for  the  best,  of 
planning  a  course  which  shall  prove  most  helpful 
to  success.     He  is  not  always  most  successful  who 
leads  his  men  boldly  when  the  moment  of  danger 
arrives.     Better  make  preparation  beforehand,  and 
ward  off  the  danger  altogether,  if  that  be  possible.  « 
Ah !  the  sky  lightens  a  little,  I  think,  and  we  may  . 
hope  for  the  day  soon.   Come,  now,  tell  me  of  those 
poor  fellows  below.'' 

Roger  strode  up  and  down  the  deck  with  him, 
telling  him  of  the  wounds  suffered  by  each  man, 
and  the  surgeon's  opinion  as  to  their  chances  of 
recovery. 

"  I  warrant  that  fresh  air,  water,  and  food  will  do 
for  them  as  much  even  as  the  worthy  apothecary's 
skill,"  Sir  Thomas  said  thoughtfully.  "Once  we 
find  a  suitable  spot,  we  will  send  a  force  ashore 
and  investigate  the  country  around.  Then  we  will 
establish  posts,  and  at  one  of  these  the  sick  and 
wounded  shall  be  placed ;  for  I  have  observed  that 
men  get  well  and  strong  when  taken  from  the  con- 
finement of  a  ship,  and  from  the  salt  provisions 
which  we  necessarily  carry." 

"  There  is  a  point  yonder,  I  think  ! "  cried  koger, 
suddenly  interrupting  him ;  "  and,  if  my  eyes  and 
this  half  light  do  not  deceive  me,  it  is  thickly 
wooded." 

"They  do  not  deceive  you,  lad.  The  point  is 
forest  grown,"  answered  Sir  Thomas,  when  he  had 
stared  in  the  direction  of  Roger's  finger.  "  Mayhap 
there  is  a  suitable  nest  for  us  there.  We  will  see. 
Call  to  the  master  and  tell  him  to  put  our  head  over 
in  that  direction." 

Half  an   hour  later  the   light  was   sufficiently 
67 


Roger  the  Bold 


strong  to  disclose  the  land  clearly  in  that  neighbour- 
hood, and  it  was  seen  at  once  that  the  wooded  point 
was  but  a  portion  of  a  huge  forest  extending  along 
the  coast.  In  places  the  trees  seemed  to  come  to 
the  very  edge  of  the  cliffs,  while  at  others,  which 
perhaps  were  more  exposed,  the  wood  receded, 
leaving  brown  patches  of  rock.  The  stem  of  the 
brigantine  was  turned  promptly  towards  the  land, 
and  she  held  on  that  course  till  the  breakers  could 
be  seen.  Then  she  swung  west  again,  and  sailed 
along  the  line  of  the  shore,  every  one  aboard  search- 
ing for  a  sheltered  cove.  Suddenly  the  cliff  was 
seen  to  be  broken.  A  tiny  bay  presented  itself,  and 
on  the  far  side  the  coast  continued,  lower  than 
before,  and  consisting  of  shelving  sand  and  rock. 
But  trees  made  up  for  the  absence  of  cliff,  and 
seemed  to  hem  the  exit  in  and  hide  it  from  the 
outside  world. 

"Yonder  point  shall  be  our  signal  station  and 
our  hospital,"  said  Sir  Thomas,  with  decision. 
"There  shall  the  wounded  drink  in  all  the  breezes, 
while  we  labour  at  the  ship  below.  Now,  to  you, 
Roger  and  Philip,  I  give  the  task  of  searching  the 
land  about.  Others  will  follow,  but  they  will  not 
go  far,  for  to  them  will  be  given  the  work  of 
making  temporary  forts,  and  of  sounding  the  depth 
of  the  inlet.  When  we  have  your  report,  we  can 
arrange  to  careen  the  ship,  but  not  before.  Make 
your  preparations,  therefore,  and  leave  as  soon  as 
we  touch  the  land.  Carry  what  arms  you  prefer, 
and,  if  necessary,  be  absent  for  two  days.  It  is 
essential  that  I  should  know  whether  Spaniards  are 
near,  and  if  so,  how  far  they  are,  and  whether  they 
are  likely  to  attack  us." 

68 


The  Island  of  Cuba 

Roger  and  his  friend  were  overjoyed  at  the 
prospect.  They  had  been  a  whole  month  on  the 
ship,  and  the  confinement  was  beginning  to  tell 
upon  them.  Besides,  the  salted  food  carried  in 
those  days,  and  the  absence  of  vegetables,  made 
existence  on  shipboard  very  different  from  what  it  is 
in  these  days.  Scurvy  was  a  very  common  ailment, 
even  amongst  crews  sailing  home  waters,  while 
amongst  those  going  farther  afield  it  frequently 
proved  fatal,  and  ruined  an  expedition.  Roger  was 
conscious  of  a  lack  of  energy,  and  both  he  and  Philip 
prepared  for  the  expedition  with  alacrity,  feeling 
intuitively  that  a  scamper  ashore,  fresh  water  to 
drink,  and  some  wild  fruits  to  eat,  would  do  them 
a  vast  amount  of  good. 

"  Though  we  must  be  careful  not  to  pluck  and 
eat  the  first  that  we  come  to,"  said  Philip,  cautiously. 
"  We  are  ignorant  of  foreign  fruits,  and  no  doubt 
shall  see  many  that  are  strange." 

"  Then  we  must  watch  to  see  whether  the  birds 
pick  them,"  answered  Roger,  eagerly.  "  In  any  case, 
we  will  carry  some  biscuit  and  cheese,  and  a  junk 
of  salted  meat.  For  water  we  shall  have  to  search, 
but  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  its  existence.  The 
woods  prove  that  it  is  here  in  abundance.  And 
now  for  weapons  and  clothes." 

"A  sword  is  my  choice  for  the  former,"  said 
Philip. 

"And  mine  a  sword  and  a  crossbow.  We  want 
something  to  eat,  Philip,  and  a  shaft  strikes  the 
mark  silently,  and  brings  down  the  quarry.  I  shall 
take  my  crossbow,  therefore,  and  some  two  dozen 
shafts.  An  arquebus  would  be  useless,  and,  besides, 
were  one  to  be  fired,  the  Spaniards  might  hear  it, 

69 


Roger  the  Bold 

particularly  if  some  are  ashore.  For  clothing,  I 
shall  go  as  I  am,  with  a  light  head-piece,  and  no 
other  protection.  A  blanket  carried  across  the 
shoulder  will  do  for  night  covering." 

"A  very  complete  programme.  Then  we  are 
ready,  you  think  ?  "  asked  Philip. 

"  Not  yet.  We  have  to  decide  where  we  shall 
go  first,  for  there  is  a  big  track  of  land  about  us. 
We  should  make  for  the  highest  peak,  and  from 
there  endeavour  to  obtain  a  view  far  arid  wide. 
That  will,  perhaps,  save  us  a  long  search,  for  if 
Spaniards  are  here  they  will  have  houses,  and  there 
will  be  clearings  amongst  the  trees.  We  should 
see  those  easily,  and  could  rhake  our  way  to  them." 

"And  then?" 

"And  then  we  should  want  to  look  into  the 
matter;  to  see  how  mariy  therfe  were ;  whether 
inclined  to  be  peaceful  or  warlike,  and  whether  in 
sufficient  numbers  to  prove  troublesome.  Also  we 
should  do  well  to  arrange  a  signal  with  our  leader. 
Now,  what  shall  it  be?" 

"  Why  not  hoist  a  blanket.  There  are  trees  in 
plenty,  and  one  blanket  hoisted  will  mean  all  is 
well ;  if  two,  look  out  for  trouble.  The  matter  is 
easily  arranged." 

They  went  at  once  to  get  their  blanket^  and  their 
weapons,  both  adding  a  dagger  to  the  last.  Then 
Roger  clambered  to  the  poop,  and  discussed  the 
question  of  signals  with  the  commander. 

"  I  shall  remember,"  was  the  answer.  "  One 
blanket  will  be  a  good  sign  for  us,  and  I  trust  that 
you  will  be  able  to  fly  it.  Iri  an  hour  you  should 
be  gone,  and  Soon  afterwards  I  will  post  look-outs 
to  search  for  your  signal." 

70 


The  Island  pf  Cuba 

By  now  the  brigantine  was  heading  into  the  tiny 
bay,  wfyile  all  aboard  crowded  the  decks,  sniffing  in 
the  smell  of  the  land.  Then  the  sun  came  out,  and 
the  green  of  the  trees  flashed,  the  leaves  shimmering 
in  the'light.  But  for  the  urgent  neec}  for  silence  a 
cheer  would  have  broken  from  the  men— a  cheer  of 
gratitude,  for  the  lorjg  confinement  had  told  upon 
them  also.  But  they  preserved  silepce,  and  watphed 
eagerly  as  the  vessel  forged  her  way  in.  Presently, 
when  within  some  sixty  yards  of  the  shore,  the 
anchor  was  dropped,  and  preparations  made  to 
lower  the  only  boat  which  the  brigantine  carried. 
Then  a  crew  were  placed  aboard  her,  all  armed  to 
the  teeth,  while  Roger  and  Philip  dropped  lightly 
amongst  them. 

"  Remember  that  an  early  warning  of  danger  is 
valuable,"  Sir  Thomas  cried  down  to  them  from  the 
poop.  "  Send  us  news  that  Spaniards  are  here  and 
threateri  our  safety,  and  we  shall  be  prepared.  On 
the  other  hand,  if  you  tell  145  that  none  are  to  be 
found  we  shall  be  grateful.  Now  push  off.  May 
success  follow  you." 

Ten  minutes  later  Roger  and  his  friend  had 
gained  the  fringe  of  the  trees,  and  turned  ere  they 
dived  into  the  undergrowth. 

"  'Twould  be  a  bad  day  for  us  if  these  enemies 
came  from  the  seaward  side  and  the  brigantine 
were  forced  to  sail  away,"  said  Philip,  suddenly, 
taking  a  lingering  look  at  the  ship.  "  We  should 
be  in  sorry  case,  Roger,  and  should  have  to  decide 
whether  to  starve  or  to  become  Spaniards." 

"  In  which  case  we  should  need  to  become 
Catholics  and  change  our  religion,  or  suffer  the 
tortures  given  by  their  Inquisition.  That  was 

71 


Roger  the  Bold 


something  of  which  I  heard  tales  when  in  Spain. 
But  never  fear !  Our  commander  would  not  desert 
us ;  and  if  he  were  so  inclined  your  father  would 
prevent  the  action.  Now,  there  is  the  point  above 
us,  and  we  will  make  for  it." 

They  plunged  into  the  undergrowth,  plucking 
the  leaves  from  the  trees  and  briars  as  they  passed, 
for  it  was  delicious  to  feel  the  soft  material,  still 
wet  with  the  dew.  Above  their  heads  rose  a  net- 
work of  branches,  at  first  of  moderate  height,  though 
as  they  progressed  the  height  increased  till  it  made 
them  marvel. 

"  No  need  to  stay  here  for  more  than  a  week,  I 
should  say,"  said  Roger,  suddenly.  "  If  the  ship 
were  careened  and  the  shot  rents  'tween  wind  and 
water  mended,  we  could  put  to  sea  again  with  one 
of  these  trees  in  tow.  Then  we  could  cut  planks 
from  it  at  our  leisure,  and  mend  the  deck.  But  we 
shall  see.  Perhaps  there  will  be  no  need  to  hasten." 

By  now  they  had  begun  to  ascend  towards  the 
elevated  part  for  which  they  aimed,  and  presently 
were  on  the  summit.  But  trees  surrounded  them 
thickly  on  every  side, 

"  We  must  climb,  or  search  for  some  higher  spot 
free  of  trees,"  said  Philip.  "Give  me  a  leg  up, 
Roger,  and  I  will  make  an  attempt  to  get  to  the  top 
of  one  of  these  giants.  Once  I  am  up  to  the  first 
branch  there  should  be  no  difficulty." 

He  threw  his  sword  to  the  ground,  and  his 
blanket  also.  Then  he  leaned  against  the  tree, 
stiffening  his  frame.  Roger  stepped  towards  him 
easily,  and,  stooping,  grasped  his  ankles. 

"This  to  show  my  weakness,"  he  laughed, 
'<  Keep  rigid,  and  grasp  the  trunk  as  I  lift  you." 


The  Island  of  Cuba 

He  put  out  all  his  power,  and  slowly  and  steadily 
lifted  his  friend,  his  grasp  never  relaxing  from  the 
ankles.  Higher  and  higher  went  Philip,  till  Roger's 
arms  were  full  above  his  head. 

"  Now  stand  on  one  of  my  hands  as  I  release  the 
ankle,"  he  called  out ;  "  then  do  the  same  with  the 
other  foot." 

Very  carefully  he  released  the  right  leg,  and 
shifted  his  hand  rapidly  to  the  sole  of  the  foot,  while 
Philip  transferred  his  weight  to  the  left.  Then  the 
operation  was  repeated  with  the  other  leg,  till  the 
greatest  amount  of  lift  was  obtained.  By  standing  up 
on  his  toes  as  far  as  possible,  Philip  was  just  able  to 
reach  the  lowest  branch,  and  a  quick  jerk  on  Roger's 
part  allowed  him  to  grasp  it.  After  that  the  ascent 
was  easy,  and  he  was  soon  at  the  very  summit. 
Thence  he  stared  in  all  directions,  and  finally  fixed 
his  attention  to  one  particular  spot. 

"  There  is  a  side  clearing,  and  beyond  it  a  lot  of 
rocky  ground,  free  of  vegetation,"  he  said,  as  he 
came  down  to  the  lowest  branch  and  dropped 
beside  Roger.  "  I  thought  I  saw  men  walking 
about,  but  I  am  not  certain.  However,  there  are 
houses,  for  I  saw  them,  and  the  presence  of  houses 
argues  men." 

"  And  men  argue  the  presence  of  Spaniards,  and 
therefore  of  enemies,"  added  Roger,  with  a  grim 
smile.  "  How  far  was  this  clearing  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  seven  leagues.  But  the  expanse  of 
trees  made  it  difficult  to  judge." 

"  Then  we  will  ascertain  for  ourselves.  But, 
first,  shall  we  fly  the  signal  ?  " 

They  debated  the  matter  for  a  little  while ;  and 
then  arguing  that  they  would  soon  traverse 

73 


Roger  the  Bold 


distance,  they  set  off  through  the  forest,  being  care- 
ful to  take  their  bearings  by  means  of  the  sun. 
Also  Philip  used  his  sword  every  few  minutes, 
cutting  a  mark  on  the  trees. 

"  Foresters  do  that  in  England,"  he  said,  "  and 
we  must  not  neglect  tp  take  the  same  precaution. 
A  man  could  be  easily  lost  in  this  forest." 

An  hour  and  a  half's  quick  walking  took  them  to 
the  verge  of  the  clearing,  for  after  a  little  while 
Philip  became  more  dexterous  at  the  blazing  of  the 
trees,  while  Roger  aided  him,  each  making  the  cut 
alternately.  Then  they  took  the  precaution  to  avoid 
the  denser  parts  of  the  wood. 

"  We  may  want  to  retire  at  a  run,  and  in  that 
case  the  undergrowth  would  hamper  us,"  said 
Roger.  "  And,  besides,  if  the  ground  is  moderately 
open  we  shall  be  able  to  see  our  blaze  marks  better, 
and  pick  them  up  as  we  run.  I  fancy  that  we  have 
now  taken  them  close  enough,  though  I  should  like 
to  have  something  here  which  would  tell  us  at  a 
glance  where  our  track  commenced,  without  giving 
the  secret  to  the  Spaniards,  presuming  always  that 
they  are  here." 

"  A  fact  upon  which  I  am  ready  to  stake  much. 
For  do  natives  have  houses  ?  " 

The  question  was  one  which  neither  could 
answer,  for  in  those  days  Englishmen  were  abso- 
lutely ignorant  of  foreign  matters.  Negroes  they 
had  seen  in  England,  but  these  were  few,  and  in 
many  cases  were  born  out  of  their  native  haunts. 
Then,  though  the  people  of  this  island  knew  France 
and  other  adjacent  countries  well,  for  they  had  carried 
war  there,  they  had  but  the  vaguest  ideas  of  the 
Indies.  Vague  rumour  had  come  of  huge  riches— 

74 


The  Island  of  Cuba 

of  gold  which  was  to  be  obtained  without  the 
trouble  of  mining,  of  pearls  ready  at  hand.  The 
tales  whetted  their  cupidity  and  their  curiosity,  but 
it  led  to  no  inquiry  as  to  the  condition  of  affairs  in 
the  Indies,  the  inhabitants  there,  and  their  ways  of 
living.  But  Roger  and  his  friend,  as  time  passed, 
learned  more,  learned  that  the  Caribs  of  Cuba1,  and 
the  natives  of  Hispaniola  and  other  adjacent  islands, 
had  been  friendly  and  Well  disposed  to  the  Spanish 
strangers ;  that  they  were  peaceful  people,  tilling 
the  soil,  and  living  in  contentment  Some  little  gold 
they  had,  simply  because  it  was  at  hand.  But  they 
needed  no  wealth  while  their  climate  was  so  friendly 
and  the  land  provided  their  wants.  However,  with 
the  coming  of  the  Spaniards  came  the  greed  for  gold. 
Adventurers  of  every  station  and  of  every  character 
came  to  these  new-discovered  lands,  eager  to  make 
their  fortunes.  Labour  was  essential,  for  these 
adventurers  discovered  that  gold  was  hdt  to  be  so 
easily  obtained  once  the  resources  of  the  natives  had 
been  drained.  Therefore  mines  had  to  be  worked, 
and  the  natives  must  work  them.  Then  commenced 
a  regime  of  brutality  and  tyranny  sd  fierce  and  so 
unreasoning  and  inhuman  that  Hispaniola  was  soon 
depopulated,  while  in  Cuba  the  natives  hanged 
themselves  sooner  than  endure  further  miseries. 
But  the  Spaniards  were  not  dismayed.  They  de- 
ported natives  from  other  lands,  and  set  theni  tbc 
work  as  slaves,  standing  over  them  with  their  Whips, 
and  giving  them  in  return  for  labour  the  right  to 
exist,  and  sufficient  food  to  attain  that  object.  The 
history  of  the  Spanish  Conquest  is,  indeed,  one  long 
tale  of  cruelty,  a  tale  which  is  made  even  worse  by 
the  narration  of  their  treatment  of  the  people  on 

75 


Roger  the   Bold 


the  Terra  Firma,  the  country  to  which  Roger  and  his 
friends  were  bound. 

"  Let  us  make  use  of  some  of  the  fallen  boughs 
if  there  is  need  to  leave  the  forest,"  said  Philip. 
"  There  are  sure  to  be  plenty,  and  we  will  lay  two 
in  the  form  of  a  cross,  so  that  none  will  suspect  that 
they  have  not  fallen  in  that  manner,  while  we  shall 
know  that  they  are  our  mark.  But  we  shall  not 
require  to  do  that  yet.  We  have  to  spy  out  these 
houses." 

The  light  in  their  immediate  front  had  now 
increased,  and  the  two  young  fellows  therefore 
redoubled  their  precautions  against  surprise.  They 
crept  forward  silently,  cutting  their  blazes  by  pierc- 
ing the  bark  with  the  points  of  their  swords  or  with 
their  daggers.  Then  a  sudden  break  in  the  trees 
told  them  that  they  were  at  the  clearing. 

"  We  will  go  on  our  faces  and  creep  to  the  very 
edge,"  said  Roger.  "Now,  there  is  a  bush  there 
which  will  give  us  shelter,  and  from  behind  which 
we  can  watch  the  men  who  may  be  in  the  clearing." 

They  fell  on  their  faces  and  wormed  their  way 
forward  till  the  bush  covered  them.  Then  they 
parted  the  leaves  in  front,  and  stared  eagerly  into 
the  clearing.  A  number  of  wooden  houses  stood 
there,  and  one  or  two  had  little  gardens  of  flowering 
plants  in  front  of  them.  Then  a  long  dark  track  was 
seen  crossing  to  the  far  side  of  the  clearing,  where 
it  made  its  exit  through  a  wide  gap  in  the  trees. 

"A  road  constructed  of  logs,"  whispered  Roger; 
"and  see  the  huge  mounds  of  earth." 

"With  a  Spaniard  standing  above  them  with  his 
whip  in  his  hand.  And  there  are  natives.  He  drives 
them  as  one  would  a  dog." 

76 


The  Island  of  Cuba 

"Say,  rather,  as  one  would  some  wild  beast 
whom  one  feared  or  loathed.  That  last  blow  was 
wholly  undeserved.  Poor  folk !  How  they  cringe 
beneath  his  lash.  I  would  that  some  who  have  the 
power  to  thus  torture  their  fellow-beings  could 
change  places  with  their  victims.  Then,  indeed, 
would  there  be  groaning  and  anguish." 

Roger  spoke  bitterly,  for  in  those  days  the  slave 
trade  was  almost  unknown  in  England.  In  Portugal 
it  had  existed  for  many  years,  and  Spain  had  adopted 
the  custom.  But  England,  in  spite  of  her  rising 
maritime  power,  and  the  increase  of  her  sea-borne 
trade,  had  not  as  yet  ventured  to  Africa  or  to  the 
Indies,  as  had  the  Portuguese  and  the  Spaniards, 
though  there  had  been  a  few  unauthorized  expe- 
ditions. So  that  Englishmen  were  totally  ignorant 
of  the  dark-skinned  races,  and  held  them  in  higher 
opinion,  deeming  them  as  fellow  human  beings, 
deserving  of  fair  treatment.  It  made  the  blood 
boil,  therefore,  to  see  such  cruelty. 

"And  here  comes  their  guard,"  exclaimed  Roger, 
in  low  tones,  as  a  dozen  men  lounged  from  behind 
the  mound  of  earth  which  cropped  up  into  the  centre 
of  the  clearing.  "  They  are  armed,  and  clad  in  light 
armour.  I  suppose  the  heat  here  is  too  great  for 
much  clothing.  It  looks  as  if  it  were  the  hour  for  a 
meal,  and  the  slaves  and  their  masters  retiring." 

Very  soon  they  were  certain  that  this  was  what 
was  happening,  for  not  a  soul  was  to  be  seen,  not 
even  the  big  ruffian  who  had  stood  over  the  slaves. 

"  We  will  take  advantage  of  their  absence.  They 
have  gone  into  the  houses,  and  are  out  of  our  way. 
Stay  here,  Philip,  while  I  creep  forward." 

It  was  ridiculous  of  Roger  to  talk  of  creeping 
77 


Roger  the  Bold 


forward.  But  When  he  glided  off  his  friend  was 
bound  to  confess  that,  in  spite  of  his  size,  this  huge 
Roger  de  Luce,  the  crossbow-man,  had  a  silent  step 
and  a  way  of  getting  across  the  ground  swiftly, 
while  showing  very  little  of  himself.  He  was  gone 
round  the  end  of  the  mound  bf  earth  almost  before 
Philip  had  had  time  to  grasp  his  meaning;  while 
the  latter,  once  he  was  out  of  sight,  sat  up  with  a 
start,  and  taking  the  crossbow,  fitted  a  shaft  and 
drew  back  the  bow. 

"  He  is  venturesome  to  rashness,"  he  said  angrily. 
"  He  will  be  seen.  Presently  I  shall  hear  a  shout, 
and  back  he  will  come,  afld  an  arquebus  bullet  racing 
after  him.'' 

However,  when  Roger  next  appeared  it  was 
from  the  very  opposite  quarter,  so  stealthily  that 
Philip  was  dumfounded.  He  would  have  questioned 
him,  but  Roger  would  hot  answer.  He  silenced  him 
with  a  finder,  and  then  led  the  way  ihto  the  forest. 

"  Can  you  find  your  way  to  the  ship  alone  ?'*  he 
demanded.  ''Then  do  so1,  and  with  this  report. 
There  are  fifteen  Spaniards  here,  and  I  make  out  that 
they  are  engaged  in  mining  for  the  Government.  I 
heard  them  say  as  mUch,  for  I  stood  outside  one  of 
the  houses  and  listened  to  the  talk.  They  do  not 
suspect  our  arrival,  though  they  Were  speaking  of 
the  battle,  the  noise  of  the  catlnon  having  reached 
their  earg.  Also  they  know  that  an  English  ship  may 
appear,  a  golden  plaque  of  vast  value,  because  of  the 
plan  it  cohtains,  naving  been  taken  by  our  country- 
men. But  thete  is  more  yet,"  he  suddenly  added, 
seeing  that  Philip  was  about  to  interrupt.  "  This 
mine  gives  a  rich  store  of  gold,  which  is  kept  partly 
in  bars  arid  partly  as  dust.  1  saw  the  bags,  and  the 

78 


The  Island  of  Cuba 

pure  metal.  Tell  Sir  Thomas  this,  and  say  that  a 
guard  posted  here  might>watch  to  make  sure  that 
no  one  suspected  our  arrival,  and  against  surprise ; 
and  that  if  the  work  of  repair  were  hastened,  it 
might  be  possible  to  make  a  raid  upon  the  mine." 

"And  recoup  ourselves  for  the  injury  these 
Spaniards  have  done  us.  J  follow  the  reasoning, 
Roger,  and  I  will  return  at  once.  Here  is  the  bow. 
I  promise  to  lead  the  way  back  here  at  the  first 
opportunity." 

He  rose  to  his  feet  from  the  position  which  he 
had  taken,  and  turned  on  his  heel.  There  was  no 
protest,  no  argument,  no  attempt  to  alter  his  friend's 
decision,  or  to  shake  his  determination  to  stay.  For 
Philip  was  beginning  to  find  out  that  this  huge  friend 
of  his,  who  played  and  laughed  like  a  boy,  was  a 
clever  fellow  at  times,  skilled  in  stratagems,  and 
fertile  in  resource. 

"  I  suppose  he  has  been  thinking  jt  over  as  he 
went  round,"  he  said  to  himself  as  he  plunged  into 
the  trees.  "  Anyway,  I  fancy  he  is  in  the  right." 

He  left  Roger  comfortably  seated  on  the  trunk 
of  a  tree  within  sight  of  the  edge  of  the  clearing,  and 
in  such  a  position  that  he  could  watch  without 
danger  of  being  seen. 


CHAPTER  V 
A  Valuable  Capture 

'"T^HREE  hours  passed  after  Philip's  departure 
JL  before  Roger  saw  anything  of  the  Spaniards 
and  their  slaves.  For  the  noonday  heat  was  great, 
and  all  were  indulging  in  a  siesta,  the  slaves  even 
being  allowed  this  luxury,  simply  because  without 
their  masters  to  watch  over  them  and  to  flog  them 
no  work  was  to  be  expected. 

"Better  dine  and  rest  myself,"  thought  Roger. 
"  Then  I  shall  be  ready  for  anything.  But  I  must 
not  sleep,  though  I  feel  drowsy  enough.  It  would 
be  different  were  there  no  Spaniards  about.  But 
there  are  none,  and  I  have  nothing  to  look  at  save 
that  big  brown  mound  of  earth,  and  the  forest  trees 
with  a  curling  line  of  logs  passing  out  amongst  them. 
Let  me  see  what  I  have  with  me ;  and  I  must  look 
for  water." 

He  remembered  then  that  as  he  sat  or  lay  full 
length  in  the  bush  he  had  heard  the  tinkle  of  a  stream 
somewhere  near  at  hand,  and  at  once  he  was  on  his 
feet  and  in  search  of  the  fluid  ;  for  though  the  leaves 
above  sheltered  him  from  the  glare  of  the  sun,  it 
must  be  remembered  that  for  a  month  he  had  been 
unused  to  much  exertion,  and  particularly  had 
Walked  very  little.  On  this  day,  however,  he  had 

ft 


A  Valuable  Capture 

• 

scrambled  through  the  underwood,  putting  aside 
brambles  and  creepers  at  every  step.  Then  he 
found  that  in  spite  of  the  shade  the  heat  was  very 
great.  It  was  close  and  sultry  beneath  the  trees, 
and  long  ago  he  had  been  forced  to  open  his  doublet 
at  the  neck  and  sleeves,  while  the  perspiration 
poured  from  his  forehead  So  that  it  was  not  to  be 
wondered  at  that  he  desired  a  drink  of  water.  A 
hundred  yards  to  the  right  he  found  the  stream,  and 
falling  full  length,  lowered  his  lips  to  the  surface. 

"  A  good  place  for  an  out-of-doors  meal,"  he  said 
to  himself;  "and  as  I  can  see  the  houses  from  here, 
I  shall  stay." 

He  took  the  biscuit  and  cheese  from  his  pocket, 
and  the  junk  of  salt  meat  from  the  satchel  carried 
over  one  shoulder.  Then  he  cut  the  latter  into  two 
parts  with  his  dagger,  and  one  of  the  halves  into 
thin  slices.  A  little  later  a  figure  startled  him,  and 
he  observed  a  tall  native  emerge  into  the  clearing. 
He  was  almost  naked,  and  his  dark  brown  skin  was 
stained  with  marks  of  the  toil  with  which  he  had 
been  engaged.  In  his  hand  he  carried  a  bag  made 
of  woven  grass,  while  his  eyes  sought  for  some 
shady  nook  in  which  he  might  rest.  He  saw  the 
big  bush  which  had  sheltered  Roger  and  Philip, 
and  he  sauntered  to  it,  throwing  himself  down  in 
the  shade. 

"  Lucky  I  moved  away  from  the  edge  of  the 
clearing,"  said  Roger,  "  and  still  more  fortunate  that 
I  kept  the  clearing  in  sight.  That  fellow  might  see 
our  marks.  Sir  Thomas  tells  me  that  he  has  heard 
that  they  can  track  any  one  with  the  intelligence  and 
quickness  of  a  dog,  that  a  crushed  leaf,  or  a  broken 
twig  has  a  story  for  them.  I  wonder  what  the  result 

8;  F 


Roger  the  Bold 


would  be  supposing  he  happened  to  discover  that 
some  one  had  been  in  the  bush  behind  him  ?  He 
would  follow,  and  perhaps  come  as  far  as  the  ship. 
That  must  be  prevented.  If  he  moves  I  will  meet 
him,  and  will  speak  to  him.  If  he  runs " 

He  debated  whether  he  ought  to  fire  a  shaft  at 
the  native  under  those  circumstances. 

"  Why  should  I  ?  "  he  said.  "  The  poor  beggar  is 
obviously  a  slave,  and  must  hate  the  Spaniards,  for 
he  was  one  of  those  who  was  lashed  as  we  arrived. 
I  wonder  whether  he  speaks  Spanish,  or  whether 
the  Spaniards  have  learned  the  native  language." 

He  was  still  debating  the  matter  when  a  move- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  native  arrested  his  attention. 
He  dived  into  his  bag,  and  produced  a  long  rod  of 
wood.  Had  Roger  been  nearer  he  would  have  seen 
that  this  rod  pierced  the  centre  of  a  flat  circular 
stone  bored  for  the  purpose,  and  that  a  cross  piece 
provided  with  leather  strings  was  attached.  There 
was  also  a  piece  of  hard  wood,  with  a  little  hollow 
in  it,  while  from  one  corner  of  the  bag  some  brown 
powder  was  produced,  consisting  of  dried  wood. 
Roger,  in  fact,  was  about  to  observe  the  native 
method  of  obtaining  fire,  and  marvelled  as  the  man 
patiently  twirled  his  weighted  stick  till  smoke  burst 
from  the  hollow  in  the  hard  Wood,  Then  he  added 
some  of  the  powder,  and  as  \t  caught  and  smouldered, 
placed  a  piece  of  dried  and  rotten  stick  against  the 
flame.  But  our  hero  opened  his  eyes  still  wider  in 
utter  amazement  when  the  native  rolled  something 
between  his  brown  hands,  licked  the  object  care- 
fully and  critically,  and  then  placing  one  end  to  his 
lips,  applied  the  other  to  the  flame.  Smoke  burst 
from  the  mouth  and  nostrils  of  this  strange  man, 

82 


A  Valuable  Capture 

while  he  leaned  back  easily  and  contentedly,  slowly 
putting  out  the  fire  with  his  other  hand,  and  re- 
placing the  stick  and  the  whole  paraphernalia  in 
his  bag. 

"  Marvellous  !  "  thought  Roger,  sitting  up  in  his 
amazement.  "  The  fellow  looks  as  if  he  were  on 
fire.  What  can  it  all  mean  ?  And  he  seems  so  con- 
tented and  happy,  for  he  leans  back  with  closed 
eyes,  and  puffs  at  that  long  brown  stick.  Now  he 
is  sitting  up.  Ah  !  He  burned  his  hand  against  the 
end,  and  that  made  him  start.  He  is  rubbing  the 
place  with  a  leaf,  and— 

His  words  were  cut  short,  while  he  himself  fell 
flat  on  the  ground,  for  that  accidental  burn  was  like 
to  be  his  undoing.  The  native,  dissatisfied  with  the 
first  leaf  which  came  to  his  hand,  turned  and  sought 
for  some  special  kind  in  the  grass  and  herbage 
growing  in  the  bush,  and  gave  vent  to  a  cry  of 
astonishment.  He  knelt  upon  his  knees  and  searched 
the  grass  around  the  bush  diligently,  and  in  a 
manner  which  showed  that  his  interest  was  aroused. 
Then,  catching  up  his  bag,  he  slung  it  over  one  arm 
and  rose  to  his  feet,  still  puffing  at  the  long  cigar 
which  he  had  manufactured ;  for  that,  in  fact,  was 
the  nature  of  the  article  which  he  had  in  his  hand, 
and  Roger  was  probably  the  very  first  Englishman 
to  witness  this  native  custom — a  custom  which  has 
now  become  almost  universal.  But  he  had  other 
matters  to  occupy  his  attention,  for  it  was  obvious 
that  the  native's  curiosity  was  thoroughly  aroused. 

"  He  is  coming  into  the  forest,"  exclaimed  Roger, 
in  alarm.  "  He  is  bending  low,  and  following  the 
tracks  left  by  Philip  and  myself  as  if  he  were  a  dog, 
or  as  if  they  were  as  clearly  outlined  as  any  road. 

83 


Roger  the  Bold 


Ah,  he  has  stopped!  That  must  be  the  point  at 
which  I  struck  off  for  this  stream." 

Discovery  seemed  certain,  but  in  the  hope  of 
escaping  observation  Roger  threw  himself  into  the 
long  grass  and  undergrowth,  and  burrowed  his  way 
into  the  thickest  part.  Then  he  drew  his  sword, 
for  even  now  it  was  not  certain  that  the  native 
would  be  friendly. 

"  He  must  take  his  chance,"  said  Roger  between 
clenched  teeth.  "  We  have  too  great  a  stake  at  issue 
to  risk  the  ship  and  all  our  lives  for  the  sake  of  one 
native.  If  he  discovers  me  I  shall  speak  in  Spanish, 
and  order  him  to  be  silent.  If  he  refuses,  and 
attempts  to  run " 

Could  Roger  cut  him  down  in  cold  blood? 
Could  he,  taller  even  than  this  tall  native,  set  upon 
him,  knowing  him  to  be  a  slave,  for  he  had  so 
recently  seen  him  cringe  beneath  the  lash  of  the 
Spaniards  ?  No  !  Roger  knew  well  that  he  could 
not  do  that,  even  for  the  sake  of  all  his  comrades, 
and  for  the  safety  of  the  expedition. 

"  Poor  beggar !  "  he  thought.  "  I  will  not  harm 
him ;  but  at  the  same  time  I  will  not  allow  him  to 
betray  us.  I  will  sheathe  the  sword,  and,  if  he 
runs,  will  jump  upon  his  back  and  capture  him." 

By  now  the  native  had  turned  aside,  and  was 
creeping  along  the  narrow  track  left  by  Roger.  He 
halted  every  now  and  again,  and  picked  up  a  piece 
of  stick,  or  bent  closer  to  inspect  the  ground.  Once 
even  his  face  showed  traces  of  astonishment  and 
fear,  and  it  looked  as  if  he  would  turn  back  to  the 
clearing.  But  at  heart,  and  when  no  whip  domi- 
nated him,  he  was  a  courageous  fellow,  and  presently 
he  came  on  again  till  he  was  close  to  Roger. 

84 


A  Valuable  Capture 

Instantly  his  frame  became  rigid  with  apprehension, 
and  he  was  about  to  run,  for  his  eyes  had  detected 
the  figure  lying  in  the  undergrowth. 

"  Stand  and  be  silent,"  said  Roger,  sternly.  "  Do 
not  run,  or  harm  will  come  to  you.  I  am  no  Spaniard, 
but  come  from  another  part  where  the  people  do 
not  love  your  masters." 

He  scrambled  to  his  feet  and  stood  up  before 
the  astonished  native,  who  eyed  him  fearfully,  and 
looked  for  a  moment  as  if  he  would  have  bolted. 
But  Roger's  youth  saved  the  situation.  He  looked 
no  villain,  no  cruel  taskmaster,  but  what  he  was — 
a  jovial,  overgrown  young  fellow,  given  to  kindness 
to  all. 

"Not  Spanish?  There  are  no  others,  so  we 
have  been  taught,"  exclaimed  the  native.  "  Our 
masters  tell  us  that  they  rule  the  world,  and  they 
have  made  slaves  of  us  here  as  if  by  natural  right. 
We  are  forced  to  work  for  them,  even  to  learn  their 
tongue  that  we  may  understand  them.  Not  Spanish  ? 
Then  what?" 

"  English ! "  exclaimed  Roger,  proudly  lifting  his 
head.  "  We  are  subjects  of  King  Henry  the  Eighth, 
and  we  are  as  good,  and  better  than  these  Spaniards. 
Why  should  you  slave  for  them  ?  Why  not  drive 
them  from  your  island  if  they  treat  you  so  ?  " 

"  Because  we  are  too  weak  to  do  so.  Years  ago 
it  might  have  been  possible,  when  first  they 
appeared,  and  in  small  numbers.  Now  there  are 
more  than  a  thousand,  and  they  are  too  strong  with 
their  guns  and  their  horses.  Yes,  their  horses 
carry  them  so  swifty  after  us,  and  run  us  down  so 
easily.  Then,  too,  the  vengeance  of  our  masters  is 
so  fierce.  They  punish  us  with  barbarous  tortures, 


Roger  the  Bold 


and  slay  us  and  our  wives  and  children.  Life  is  one 
long  hardship  under  them.  But  tell  me  where  you 
come  from  ?  I  marked  your  tracks,  and  followed. 
Then,  as  I  turned  in  this  direction,  the  track  told 
me  that  a  big  man  had  gone  this  way.  I  feared  it 
was  a  Spaniard,  for  there  were  prints  of  boots  such 
as  these  tyrants  wear.  It  might  have  been  one  of 
the  soldiers  come  here  for  a  quiet  rest,  and  had  I 
wakened  him  the  lash  would  have  followed.  But  I 
came  on,  and — hush,  I  hear  voices!  I  must  be 
going,  for  they  have  started  to  work  at  the  mine 
again." 

Roger  would  have  kept  him,  would  have  asked 
him  to  come  to  this  same  spot  again.  But  the 
native  turned  quickly  and  left,  as  if  fearful  of  being 
late  for  his  work,  knowing  well,  without  doubt,  that 
the  lash  would  be  his  reward.  But  he  was  not  to 
reach  the  clearing  without  trouble,  for  it  happened 
that  as  he  entered  the  forest  in  search  of  the 
strangers  who  had  left  their  tracks,  one  of  the 
Spaniards  had  sauntered  from  the  houses,  and 
caught  sight  of  the  retreating  figure.  Desertions 
from  amongst  the  slaves  were  very  common,  and 
the  Spaniard  at  once  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  native  was  about  to  make  an  attempt  to  get 
away.  He  crept  after  him,  therefore,  and  so  quietly 
that  neither  Roger  nor  the  man  heard  his  approach. 
Suddenly,  however,  as  the  native  ran  back  towards 
the  clearing,  he  rose  from  the  path  and  accosted  him. 

"  What  now  ! "  he  demanded  violently.  "A  run- 
away !  You  will  teach  the  others  to  give  us  the 
slip,  and  will  give  us  the  trouble  of  following,  and 
setting  on  the  dogs.  A  lesson  is  wanted,  and  you 
shall  see  that  it  is  unwise  to  attempt  to  leave  us  so 

86 


hurriedly.  Work  at  the  mine  may  hot  meet  your 
fancy,  but  there  are  other  matters  which  are  less 
pleasant." 

He  eyed  the  trembling  native  till  Roger  thought 
that  the  poor  fellow  would  have  sunk  to  the  ground 
in  his  terror,  while  he  slowly  extracted  a  knife  from 
his  belt.  Then  he  searched  for  a  suitable  sapling, 
and  having  chosen  one  which  was  stout  and  whippy, 
he  cut  it  off,  and  severed  the  smaller  branches. 

"  A  whip  may  sting  for  a  while,"  he  said,  with  a 
brutal  laugh,  "  but  for  long  memories,  give  me  a 
cane  after  this  sort.  The  pain  of  the  bruise  lasts, 
and  every  movement  is  a  reminder.  Now,  come 
hither,  slave,  and  receive  what  is  your  due.  Hang- 
ing were  too  good  for  you." 

He  seized  the  poor  fellow,  and  brought  his  stick 
down  with  all  his  strength,  till  the  native  shrieked. 
Roger's  blood  boiled.  Up  till  now  he  remained 
unseen  by  the  Spaniard.  But  he  could  not  lie  there, 
a  big  fellow  such  as  he  was,  and  see  a  human  being 
treated  with  such  cruelty. 

"  Why,  one  would  not  beat  a  savage  dog  so  ! " 
he  said.  "And,  moreover,  the  poor  native  was  not 
attempting  to  be  gone,  though  none  would  blame 
him  had  he  done  so.  I  won't  put  up  with  such 
brutality." 

He  leapt  to  his  feet  impulsively,  forgetting  all 
about  the  safety  of  the  expedition  and  his  comrades 
— forgetful  of  everything  save  the  unhappy  native 
and  the  Spanish  coward  who  thrashed  him.  With 
a  bound  he  was  on  the  path,  and  in  a  twinkling  he 
was  before  the  Spaniard,  his  face  flushed  with 
anger,  and  his  pulses  beating  with  excitement. 
There  was  a  loud  cry  of  amazement ;  the  Spaniard 

87 


Roger  the  Bold 


let  go  his  hold  of  the  native,  and  stared  at  the 
stranger  till,  suddenly,  Roger's  fist  flew  out,  and, 
crashing  into  the  Spaniard's  face,  sent  him  rolling 
into  the  underwood. 

"An  enemy!  The  English!  The  English! 
Rally ! " 

The  man  picked  himself  up  with  the  agility  of  a 
monkey,  and  gave  vent  to  the  warning  at  the  top  of 
his  voice.  Then  his  sword  swished  from  the  scab- 
bard, and  he  stepped  towards  Roger. 

"  So  that  is  what  brought  this  sneaking  cur  over 
into  the  forest ! "  he  said,  with  an  oath.  "  He  has 
been  parleying  with  you — you  men  of  England,  of 
whom  we  have  heard.  And  you  and  your  comrades 
are  here,  hoping  to  snatch  this  island  of  Cuba  from 
us.  We  shall  see,  and  you  shall  learn  that  a  man  of 
less  than  six  feet  is  more  than  a  match  for  one  of 
your  height.  Yield  now,  or  wait  till  my  comrades 
come.  It  makes  no  difference.  You  will  be  taken, 
and  later  on  the  Governor  will  roast  you  on  the 
square  at  Santiago." 

Roger  did  not  wait  to  argue  with  the  man,  nor 
did  he  accept  the  invitation  to  surrender.  He  heard 
shouts  from  the  clearing,  and  caught  sight  of  a 
number  of  armed  men  running  towards  the  forest. 
In  two  minutes  they  would  be  there,  and  his  escape 
would  be  out  of  the  question.  Indeed,  already  he 
was  almost  cut  off,  and  unless  he  moved  now  he 
would  never  get  away.  Doubtless  he  would  then 
be  burned  on  the  square  at  Santiago,  according  to 
the  barbarous  custom  of  the  Spaniards.  In  an 
instant,  therefore,  his  plan  of  action  was  taken. 
While  the  Spaniard  stood  glaring  at  him,  hesitating 
to  attack  him,  our  hero  sprang  forward  so  suddenly 

88 


ROGER   SENT   HIM   ROLLING   INTO  THE   UNDERWOOD 


A  Valuable  Capture 

that  his  opponent  was  unable  to  raise  the  point  of 
his  sword.  Roger  clutched  at  his  enemy,  and,  lift- 
ing him  above  his  head,  threw  him  against  the  trunk 
of  a  tree. 

"  Come  with  me,"  he  said  to  the  native.  "  If 
you  remain  you  will  be  killed  or  tortured  by  these 
brutes.  Come  with  us,  and  you  will  be  kindly 
dealt  with." 

There  was  no  time  for  further  discussion,  for  by 
now  the  shouts  were  sensibly  nearer.  He  darted 
forward,  therefore,  and,  following  the  track  through 
the  grass,  made  for  the  spot  where  the  long  line  of 
blazings  commenced. 

"  Master,  let  me  go  before  you,"  he  heard  the 
native  exclaim.  "  I  will  come  with  you,  for  to 
remain  is  to  be  killed.  Let  me  run  in  front,  and  I 
shall  be  able  to  find  the  track  and  follow  it  without 
loss  of  time." 

"  Then  get  ahead,"  said  Roger,  shortly.  "  You 
will  find  that  we  have  marked  the  trees,  so  as  to 
show  us  how  to  reach  the  ship  again ;  and  if  you 
follow  that  line  we  shall  be  safe.  Now  hasten,  for 
the  Spaniards  are  near,  and  I  fancy  their  comrade 
will  be  able  to  speak  to  them,  and  tell  them  what 
has  happened.  I  missed  my  aim,  for  had  he  hit  the 
tree  as  I  meant  he  would  have  been  silenced  for 
many  a  day." 

The  Spaniard  had,  in  fact,  hit  the  trunk  at  which 
Roger  had  thrown  him  with  the  broad  of  his  back, 
and  though  the  concussion  had  momentarily  stunned 
him,  and  knocked  the  breath  out  of  his  body,  he 
was  able  to  speak  when  his  comrades  ran  to  his 
side. 

"  Follow  I "  he  gasped.  "  I  came  hither  after  one 
89 


•  J  - 

Roger  the  Bold 


of  the  slaves,  and  found  him  parleying  with  a  huge 
Englishman.  Their  ship — the  one  we  heard  of— 
must  have  touched  on  the  coast  somewhere  near  at 
hand,  and  they  sent  a  scout  in  to  see  where  we  were. 
Follow,  and  cut  the  fellow  to  pieces." 

The  effort  was  almost  too  much  for  him,  for  he 
fell  back  at  the  foot  of  the  tree  and  lapsed  into  un- 
consciousness. But  he  had  been  able  to  give  valu- 
able information,  and  his  comrades  acted  upon  it 
with  alacrity.  Fortunately  for  them,  all  were  fully 
armed,  and  therefore  they  set  off  into  the  forest 
without  hesitation  and  without  the  loss  of  a  moment. 
One  of  their  number  happened  to  catch  a  sight  of 
the  fugitives,  and  this  giving  them  the  direction, 
they  burst  their  way  through  the  forest  at  a  rapid 
rate.  They  had  no  need  to  follow  any  particular 
line,  for  the  noise  made  by  the  two  fugitives  was 
sufficient  indication  of  the  course  of  their  flight. 
The  Spaniards  therefore  simply  rushed  through  the 
underwood,  careless  of  the  brambles  which  grew 
here  and  there,  their  eyes  seeking  for  Roger  and 
the  native,  while  their  ears  listened  for  sounds  of 
their  flight.  As  for  the  latter,  thanks  to  the  acute- 
ness  of  the  native — an  acuteness  which  Roger  mar- 
velled at — they  ran  on  into  the  depths  of  the  forest 
almost  without  a  halt.  But  their  progress  was 
hardly  as  rapid  as  that  of  the  enemy,  for  the  simple 
reason  that  Roger  and  Philip  had  made  an  occa- 
sional dttour  to  avoid  the  thick  underwood.  Then, 
again,  their  progress  through  the  forest  had  not 
been  as  direct  as  it  might  have  been,  because  they 
were  unused  to  travelling  in  such  a  place.  So 
that,  though  they  ran  fast  and  did  not  delay,  the 
enemy  steadily  approached  them. 

90 


A  Valuable  Capture 

"They  are  striking  to  the  right  again,  because  of 
some  thick  bushes,"  called  out  one  of  the  Spaniards 
who  led  the  pursuit.  "Come  after  me,  and  I  will 
take  you  by  a  route  which  will  cut  into  their 
course." 

He  was  a  man  who  had  spent  many  years  in  the 
Indies,  and  was  well  accustomed  to  the  forests. 
Indeed,  his  comrades  said  of  him  that  he  could 
track  out  a  native  as  well  even  as  the  best  of  native 
trackers  could  have  done,  and  that  bloodhounds 
were  hardly  necessary  if  Sebastian  were  with  the 
party.  He  plunged,  therefore,  into  the  thick  of  the 
underwood,  thrusting  the  brambles  and  twigs  aside 
savagely,  and  leaping  over  obstacles  such  as  the 
fallen  trunks  of  trees.  Then  he  burst  into  a  glade, 
and  swinging  to  the  left,  led  the  party  straight 
ahead,  till  his  eye  caught  a  mark  on  one  of  the  trees. 

"  Halt ! "  he  said,  holding  his  pike  in  the  air. 
"  We  are  ahead  of  them,  I  think.  Listen !  There 
is  the  sound  of  broken  sticks  as  they  run,  and  it  is 
behind  us." 

"Are  you  certain?  I  thought  that  I  heard 
sounds  ahead,"  exclaimed  one  of  his  comrades, 
standing  beside  him  and  breathing  deeply,  for  the 
sudden  call  for  exertion,  their  indolent  lives,  and 
the  weight  of  their  weapons  and  clothing  had  told 
upon  them.  "  There !  Listen  you,  Sebastian  ! 
Those  sounds  are  ahead,  I  wager  anything  upon  it ! " 

"And  I  swear  that  they  are  behind,"  burst  in 
another,  hotly.  "  Listen,  there  is  the  noise." 

"  Hush !  You  will  give  them  the  warning.  There 
are  men  in  advance,  I  think,"  admitted  Sebastian, 
"  but  I  am  sure  that  these  fugitives,  this  slave  and 
the  Englishman,  are  behind  us.  Perhaps  there  are 

91 


Roger  the   Bold 


others  near  at  hand,  and  they  will  have  had  no 
warning.  Silence,  I  say !  Let  us  line  the  path  which 
is  here.  You  can  see  the  blaze  marks  on  the  trees. 
Then,  when  we  have  cut  down  the  fugitives,  we  will 
teach  the  others  a  lesson." 

"A  lesson  to  leave  the  Indies  alone;  to  meddle 
with  nothing  which  belongs  to  his  Most  Catholic 
Majesty,  Ferdinand." 

"  Silence,  fool ! "  Sebastian  turned  upon  the 
man  with  a  snarl  which  caused  the  offender  to  close 
his  lips.  Then  he  crept  forward  on  to  the  track 
left  by  Roger  and  Philip,  and  disposed  his  men  so 
as  to  catch  them  in  a  trap. 

"  Let  there  be  no  hesitation.  If  the  man  is  armed 
cut  him  down,  but  do  not  give  a  mortal  blow  if  it 
can  be  helped.  We  may  get  information  from  him. 
Now,  to  your  places." 

Meanwhile  Roger  and  the  native  had  been  hurry- 
ing along  through  the  forest,  their  eyes  picking  out 
the  trees  which  were  marked.  So  occupied  were 
they  with  this  that  they  hardly  noted  the  progress 
made  by  the  enemy,  and  they  would  undoubtedly 
have  plunged  into  the  trap  set  for  them  had  not  the 
acuteness  of  the  native  suddenly  arrested  their  flight. 

"Lie  down,"  he  said  abruptly,  catching  Roger 
by  the  sleeve  and  drawing  him  to  the  ground. 
"  There,  you  can  hear  their  voices.  We  have  been 
going  in  a  circle,  while  they  have  cut  straight 
through.  They  are  on  the  path  before  us." 

"Then  we  must  cut  our  way  through  them. 
How  many  were  there?" 

The  native  counted  the  enemy  off  on  the  fingers 
of  his  two  hands,  giving  the  number  in  the  broken 
Spanish  which  he  spoke. 

92 


A  Valuable  Capture 

"Thirteen,  I  think,  master,"  he  said.  "There 
are  fifteen  at  the  mine,  and  one  you  threw  against 
the  tree.  One  is  with  the  slaves  at  the  works,  and 
that  will  leave  thirteen  to  attack  us.  Surely  it  is 
impossible  to  cut  a  way  through  them  ?  " 

"  It  must  be  done ! "  answered  Roger,  with  de- 
cision. "We  will  creep  along  till  close  to  where 
they  hide,  and  if  possible  we  will  pass  them.  If 
they  spy  us  out  we  must  run,  and  cut  down  who- 
ever opposes  us.  Here  is  a  dagger.  Make  use 
of  it." 

"  Hush !  The  native  stopped  Roger  with  a 
movement.  "  More  sounds,"  he  said.  "  Wait  while 
I  listen." 

Creeping  along  the  ground,  he  placed  his  ear 
against  the  trunk  of  a  big  tree,  and  stood  there  for 
more  than  a  minute.  Then  he  returned  to  Roger's 
side  and  whispered  in  his  ear. 

"  I  hear  men  moving,"  he  said.  "  They  seem 
to  come  towards  us,  and  they  are  making  much 
noise.  I  do  not  think  that  they  are  the  Spaniards, 
for  these  sounds  come  from  beyond  the  spot  where 
I  last  heard  them." 

"  Then  they  must  be  friends,"  exclaimed  Roger, 
his  heart  beating  faster  at  the  thought.  "  I  had 
sent  for  them,  and  expected  them  before  this.  Can 
we  get  round  to  them  ?  " 

For  a  moment  the  two  looked  into  one  another's 
eyes,  Roger  longing  for  the  native's  answer,  while 
the  latter  debated  whether  it  would  be  possible  for 
this  big,  clumsy  Englishman  to  creep  through  the 
forest  without  alarming  the  enemy. 

"  There  will  be  great  risk  of  discovery,"  he  said, 
"and  I  advise  that  I  creep  through  to  your  friends. 

93 


Roger  the   Bold 


Give  me  a  token,  and  I  will  hasten  to  them  with 
it.  What  message  shall  I  take  ?  " 

"Tell  them  that  I  have  been  discovered;  that 
the  Spaniards  lie  between  me  and  them,  and  that  I 
am  cut  off.  If  we  have  heard  their  coming,  then 
the  enemy  have  very  likely  become  aware  of  their 
presence  in  the  forest.  But  they  do  not  know  their 
numbers.  Therefore  we  shall  still  have  some  chance 
of  surprising  them.  Tell  my  comrades  to  advance, 
while  I  will  come  towards  them  from  this  side. 
Bid  them  be  sure  that  none  of  the  Spaniards  escape, 
and  lest  they  should  do  so  do  you  return  in  this 
direction  and  lie  in  wait.  None  of  these  enemies 

must  return  to  the  clearing.  But "  He  suddenly 

recollected  that  the  native  could  not  speak  English. 
"  Then  you  must  sign  to  them  and  bring  them  along," 
he  said  quickly.  "  Take  this  whistle,  and  go." 

He  lay  full  length  in  the  underwood,  his  eyes 
peering  amongst  the  trees  and  brambles,  while  he 
listened  intently.  For  who  could  say  whether  the 
Spaniards  were  already  coming  towards  him  ?  No 
doubt  they  were  accustomed  to  warfare  in  these 
woods,  for  they  had  had  many  a  brush  with  the 
natives.  Then  perhaps  they  were  stalking  him,  and 
would  come  just  as  silently  as  his  native  comrade 
had  gone. 

Roger  shivered  at  the  thought.  Then  his  courage 
returned,  and  with  that  his  old  assurance.  His  hand 
gripped  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  while  he  lay  in  such 
a  posture  that  in  a  moment  he  could  rise  to  his  feet. 

Click !  A  twig  snapped  near  at  hand,  and  his 
grip  tightened.  Was  it  friend  or  enemy?  There 
it  was  again,  and  Roger  became  certain  that  some 
one  was  approaching. 


A  Valuable  Capture 

"It  must  be  a  Spaniard,"  he  thought,  "and  as 
I  have  been  still  and  silent  since  I  dropped  in  this 
place  the  chances  are  that  he  does  not  quite  know 
my  whereabouts.  I  have  something  which  will  stop 
him." 

Very  softly  his  hand  sought  for  his  crossbow 
and  a  shaft.  Then  he  pulled  back  the  bow  and 
waited.  Click !  The  very  faintest  sound  reached 
his  ear,  followed  by  the  rustle  of  dried  leaves.  He 
turned  his  head  to  the  left,  and  his  eye  fell  upon  the 
tip  of  a  pike.  Then  he  saw  the  ridge  of  a  steel 
cap,  and  behind  it  the  legs  of  a  Spaniard.  It  was 
Sebastian,  who,  conscious  of  his  superiority,  had 
left  his  comrades  to  discover  the  whereabouts  of 
the  fugitives,  and  with  the  intention  of  capturing 
them  alone  if  possible.  The  sudden  cessation  of 
sounds  had  surprised  him,  and  he  had  rapidly 
guessed  that  the  fugitives  had  halted  and  were  in 
hiding,  or  were  endeavouring  to  creep  silently 
away. 

"  Strange !  I  do  not  see  them,  and  there  is  now 
not  a  sound,"  he  suddenly  said  to  himself,  as  he 
halted.  "  A  little  while  ago  there  were  noises  from 
this  direction,  and  we  heard  other  men  deeper  in 
the  forest.  Now  none  are  to  be  heard,  and  none  to 
be  seen." 

He  sat  up  cautiously  and  looked  round  him. 
But  only  leaves  and  forest  trunks  were  in  sight. 
Only  leaves !  No !  His  eye  suddenly  caught  the 
glitter  of  a  steel  bow,  while  behind  that  bow  was 
a  steel  cap  much  the  same  as  he  wore.  Sebastian 
was  startled.  Then  he  leaped  to  his  feet,  and  taking 
his  pike  in  both  hands,  charged  down  upon  Roger 
with  a  roar  which  startled  the  echoes. 

95 


Roger  the  Bold 


"The  Englishman!"  he  shouted  at  the  top  of  his 
voice.  "  Follow !  Follow ! " 

Roger  made  no  movement.  He  did  not  even 
flinch  as  he  saw  the  point  of  the  pike  lowered  and 
the  man  rushing  upon  him.  Instead,  his  eye  went 
to  the  bow,  and  he  aimed  steadily  for  his  man. 
Very  gently  the  tip  of  the  bow  went  up  till  it  was 
directed  full  upon  the  Spaniard's  throat.  Then  our 
hero  pressed  the  trigger,  and  in  less  than  a  second 
Sebastian  was  down  amidst  the  moss  and  the  ferns 
and  bracken,  his  pike  and  his  enmity  forgotten, 
while  his  feeble  hands  clutched  convulsively  at  a 
shaft  which  had  passed  right  through  his  neck.  He 
attempted  to  call  for  help,  but  failed.  For  a  moment 
or  two  he  rolled  over  and  over,  struggling  dread- 
fully. Then  a  sigh  escaped  him,  and  he  became 
silent;  his  head  fell  back,  and  he  lay  with  arms  spread 
out  to  their  full  extent,  a  victim  of  his  own  rashness. 
He  had  hardly  fallen  before  a  babel  of  shouts  broke 
the  silence  of  the  forest,  while  the  heavy  trampling 
of  feet  and  the  snapping  of  twigs  came  to  Roger's 
ears.  He  leaped  to  his  feet,  and  drawing  his  sword, 
thrust  the  point  into  the  ground.  Then  he  fitted 
another  shaft  into  his  crossbow  and  waited.  A  few 
seconds  later  two  of  the  Spaniards  appeared,  and, 
catching  sight  of  him,  ran  forward.  Then  a  third 
was  seen,  and  he  came  to  an  abrupt  halt,  and  level- 
ling his  arquebus,  made  ready  to  fire  it. 

"  Better  get  behind  a  tree,"  thought  Roger;  "  then 
the  gun  cannot  do  me  harm,  and  I  shall  be  ready 
for  the  others.  Ah,  there  is  a  fourth !  I  trust  that 
my  comrades  will  be  coming  soon." 

"  He  has  slain  Sebastian.  Fall  on  him  !  Cut  him 
down ! "  shouted  the  first  of  the  enemy,  catching 


A  Valuable  Capture 

sight  of  his  dead  comrade  and  halting  for  a  moment. 
"  Now,  comrade,  we  will  run  him  through  together. 
Lower  your  pike  and  rush." 

Sheltered  behind  a  huge  trunk,  Roger  watched 
them  cautiously,  and  out  of  the  tail  of  his  eye  saw 
the  man  with  the  arquebus  blowing  at  his  fuse,  while 
he  endeavoured  to  hold  the  ponderous  weapon 
steadily  at  his  shoulder.  A  second  later  the  fuse 
was  ready,  and  he  fired,  the  bullet  striking  the  tree 
with  an  ugly  thud.  But  no  damage  was  done  to 
Roger,  and  at  once  his  head  and  shoulders  appeared, 
and  his  cross-bow  twanged,  one  of  the  charging 
Spaniards  falling  instantly.  The  other  kept  on 
without  a  pause,  and,  seeing  that  he  was  determined 
to  come  to  close  quarters,  Roger  dropped  his  cross- 
bow and  snatched  at  his  sword. 

"  Yield  ! "  cried  the  Spaniard.  "  You  are  sur- 
rounded, and  your  friends  cannot  help  you.  Throw 
down  your  sword  and  surrender." 

"Never!"  answered  Roger,  quietly.  "Yield 
yourself,  for  it  is  you  who  are  surrounded.  Now, 
up  with  your  hands,  or  I  will  cleave  you  to  the 
chin." 

The  Spaniard  gave  vent  to  a  hoarse  laugh,  for 
he  was  amused  at  the  insolence  of  the  Englishman. 
Then  he  lowered  the  point  of  his  pike  and  lunged, 
striking  Roger  on  the  arm.  But  the  hurt  was  only  a 
slight  one,  and  was  returned  instantly.  Pike  parried 
sword  thrust,  while  the  point  of  Roger's  weapon 
prevented  his  adversary  from  approaching  too  close. 
He  had  just  succeeded  in  wounding  the  man  slightly 
for  the  second  time,  when  the  appearance  of  five 
more  of  the  Spaniards  made  the  affair  wear  a  serious 
look.  He  cut  savagely  at  his  opponent,  and  was  in 

(B  566)  97  G 


Roger  the  Bold 


the  act  of  following  the  stroke  up  when  an  arquebus 
roared,  and  the  unfortunate  fellow  who  opposed  him 
fell  to  the  ground.  Then  shouts  came  to  his  ear — 
English  shouts — and  at  the  sound  of  his  comrades 
voices  he  dashed  forward,  and  fell  upon  the  Spaniards 
furiously,  his  sword  playing  swiftly. 

"  He  is  here.  He  is  alive  and  well.  Come 
forward  and  surround  these  men." 

It  was  Philip's  voice  which  he  heard,  and  a 
moment  later  that  individual  appeared,  sword  in 
hand.  Then  a  second  comrade  from  the  brigantine 
came  to  view  on  the  right,  while  others  came  pushing 
through  the  trees. 

"  Fall  on  them  and  cut  them  down ! "  shouted 
Roger;  "and  see  that  none  escape.  Philip,  come  to 
my  side,  and  let  four  others  rally  here.  Now  we 
will  make  haste  to  the  clearing." 

"There  is  one  of  the  Spaniards  stealing  off," 
suddenly  cried  Philip,  as  he  ran  to  his  friend's  side. 
"  Stop  him,  whoever  happens  to  be  in  that  direc- 
tion, or  he  will  give  the  alarm." 

But  they  had  no  need  for  anxiety,  though  none 
of  the  Englishmen  appeared  in  answer  to  his  warn- 
ing cry.  Instead,  the  tall  native  thrust  his  way  to 
the  front,  and  at  a  nod  from  Roger  set  off  after  the 
Spaniard.  And  while  he  raced  through  the  under- 
wood, the  men  of  the  brigantine,  headed  by  Roger, 
fell  upon  the  Spaniards.  There  was  a  fierce  fight, 
swords  flashed  in  the  air,  lopping  twigs  from  the 
bushes,  and  striking  heavy  blows  at  the  enemy. 
Three  of  the  latter  quickly  fell,  and  within  five 
minutes  those  who  survived  had  thrown  down  their 
arms. 

"  Form  a  guard  round  them,  and  follow  swiftly," 

98 


A  Valuable  Capture 

said  Roger.  "  We  will  go  to  the  clearing  and  capture 
the  store  of  gold  which  is  there.  Now  hurry,  for 
we  must  not  waste  time." 

"  What  if  the  man  who  fled  has  given  the  alarm  ?  " 
demanded  Philip,  coming  breathless  to  Roger's  side. 
"  That  would  wreck  all  our  hopes,  for  then  we  could 
not  stay." 

"We  could  manage  to  get  the  worst  of  the  damage 
to  the  ship  repaired.  But  wait;  here  comes  the 
tall  native  whose  acquaintance  I  first  made.  Now, 
what  is  the  tale  ?"  he  demanded. 

"  The  man  ran  fast,  and,  turning,  struck  at  me  as 
I  came  near.  But  I  fell  suddenly,  pretending  to  be 
hurt,  and  he  turned  again  to  kill  me.  I  seized  my 
opportunity,  and  sprang  upon  him  with  the  dagger. 
He  is  dead.  Has  my  lord  further  orders  ?  " 

"  Run  fast  to  the  mine,  and  bid  your  friends 
capture  this  other  Spaniard.  We  will  follow 
quickly." 

Roger  waved  him  away,  and  then  gathered  his 
comrades  about  him.  There  were  twenty  in  all, 
and  none  had  received  more  than  the  most  trifling 
wounds. 

"  All  fit  for  duty,  then,"  he  said.  "  Let  ten  guard 
the  prisoners,  while  the  remainder  come  with  me. 
The  prisoners  and  their  guard  will  remain  here,  for 
we  do  not  wish  them  to  know  what  is  happening  at 
the  mine." 

There  was  a  tone  of  authority  in  his  voice,  and, 
young  though  he  was,  the  men  from  the  brigantine 
obeyed  him  with  alacrity. 

"  He's  won  his  place,  and  will  keep  it,"  said  one. 

"  Nay,  he'll  not  keep  it,"  protested  another,  as 
they  marched  through  the  trees.  "  The  lad's  bound 

99 


Roger  the  Bold 


to  rise.  You  can  see  that  he's  cut  out  for  a  leader. 
He  keeps  his  head,  and  is  a  capable  manager.  A 
groat  on  it  that  he'll  go  higher,  maybe  top  the  tree, 
just  as  he  overstands  us  all  in  height.  A  burly 
young  giant,  with  a  good  heart  and  a  better  head. 
I,  for  one,  follow  him  willingly." 

"  And  I.     And  I." 

The  men  answered  eagerly,  while  they  followed 
the  figure  of  their  tall  young  leader  till  the  clearing 
was  reached.  Arrived  there,  they  found  the  last  of 
the  enemy  in  the  hands  of  the  slaves,  who  had 
disarmed  and  pinioned  him. 

"  Were  we  to  deal  justice  to  him,  to  repay  cruelty 
with  cruelty,  we  should  have  strangled  him  slowly 
ere  you  arrived,"  said  the  native  who  had  come  so 
unexpectedly  to  be  Roger's  friend,  and  whose  name 
was  Tamba.  "  But  I  knew  my  lord's  wishes,  and  I 
will  always  follow  them,  for  do  I  not  owe  him  my 
life?" 

"  You  have  done  well,"  said  Roger,  shortly. 
"  Now  gather  your  friends,  and  ask  them  whether 
they  will  serve  us.  But,  first,  tell  me,  is  this  mine  far 
from  your  masters — from  their  other  settlements  ?  " 

"Two  days'  journey,  my  lord.  A  Spaniard 
would  take  three." 

"And  there  are  no  other  natives  in  the 
neighbourhood  ?  " 

"  None,  my  lord." 

"  Then  ask  the  question  and  return." 

A  few  seconds  later  Tamba  came  back  with  the 
information  that  his  comrades  were  eager  to  serve 
their  new  masters. 

"We  long  to  escape  from  this  slavery  and  ill- 
treatment,"  he  said  earnestly.  "  We  will  come  with 

100 


A  Valuable  Capture 

you  on  the  ship  if  you  wish  it.  What  directions  will 
you  be  pleased  to  give  ?  " 

"  Let  ten  of  your  friends  remain  here  for  a  time  ; 
and,  Philip,  take  command  of  them  till  I  can  return. 
Let  the  others  gather  the  gold  in  the  storehouse 
and  come  with  us.  We  will  go  to  the  brigantine 
immediately." 

All  was  movement  at  once,  and  very  soon  the 
party  was  returning,  laden  with  their  capture.  As 
for  Roger,  he  had  no  hesitation  in  giving  the  order 
to  take  the  gold,  for  they  were  now  open  enemies 
of  the  Spaniards,  and  in  those  days  such  a  capture 
was  looked  upon  as  perfectly  legitimate.  Therefore 
every  bar  and  every  sack  of  the  precious  metal  was 
packed  upon  the  backs  of  the  natives,  and  the 
whole  party  returned  through  the  wood  with  their 
prisoners.  They  were  hailed  with  joy  when  they 
reached  the  brigantine,  and  at  once  Sir  Thomas 
demanded  the  full  tale  from  his  lieutenant. 

"You  have  done  us  valuable  service,"  he  said, 
"  and  already  the  gold  obtained  pays  for  the  expe- 
dition. We  shall  not  forget  your  courage,  nor  your 
resource,  and  shall  find  a  responsible  place  for  you 
in  the  future." 

Nor  was  it  long  before  Roger's  services  were 
again  in  requisition,  with  what  result  we  shall 
presently  see. 


101 


CHAPTER  VI 
A  Stranger  comes  Aboard 

'"T^HREE  weeks  passed  rapidly  in  the  little  cove 
J_  to  which  the  brigantine  had  sailed  when  she 
had  given  the  big  Spaniard  the  slip ;  and  those  three 
weeks  had  worked  wonders  for  the  men  under  Sir 
Thomas's  command,  and  for  the  vessel.  The  latter 
had  been  run  close  into  the  shore,  which  was  sandy 
and  free  from  rocks.  Then  a  couple  of  stout  trees  had 
been  selected,  growing  close  to  the  edge  of  the  water, 
and  to  these  ropes  were  passed  from  the  caps  of  the 
lower  masts.  The  whole  crew  then  set  to  work  at 
the  capstan,  and  hove  at  the  ropes  through  a  block 
till  the  ship  careened  over  and  lay  gently  on  her  side. 
That  done,  those  who  had  training  as  carpenters 
prepared  to  mend  the  shot-rents  in  her  side,  while 
others,  less  accomplished,  went  to  the  forest  with  a 
few  of  the  natives  and  felled  trees  which  had  been 
selected.  Meanwhile,  precautions  against  surprise 
were  not  neglected. 

"We  must  hope  that  no  one  has  been  able  to 
communicate  the  news  of  our  coming  here,"  said  Sir 
Thomas,  as  he  walked  on  the  sands  with  Roger,  for 
since  the  capture  of  the  mine  he  had  become  very 
friendly  with  our  hero.  "  But  in  case  the  tale  has 
gone  to  Santiago,  which  is  their  main  port  farther 

102 


A  Stranger  comes  Aboard 

east,  we  must  keep  a  guard  at  the  mine.  I  give  you 
the  conduct  of  it,  and  you  may  take  whatever  natives 
you  like,  and  doubt  not  that  Tamba  will  accompany 
you.  The  fellow  is  like  a  dog.  He  follows  you 
everywhere.  But  to  return  to  the  mine.  You  had 
better  make  your  own  arrangements  there,  and  I 
think  I  would  counsel  you  to  despatch  men  into  the 
forest,  so  as  to  have  timely  warning  of  an  enemy's 
approach.  Here  we  shall  watch  for  their  comjng  by 
sea,  and  my  guards  will  be  stationed  on  the  point 
of  the  cliff." 

And  so  for  three  weeks  the  work  continued  un- 
disturbed. A  fort  was  formed  on  the  cliff,  and  there 
all  the  wounded  and  sick  from  the  brigantine  were 
sent  to  recuperate,  while  Roger  and  Philip,  and  the 
ever-faithful  Tamba,  went  to  the  mine  and  passed 
their  days  in  the  forest.  Then  came  the  time  for 
departure. 

"  All  our  rents  are  mended,  and  for  the  past  three 
days  we  have  been  busily  loading  water  and  fruit 
on  the  ship,"  said  Roger  to  Philip,  as  the  two  sat 
before  a  fire  which  blazed  in  front  of  one  of  the  huts, 
for  though  the  heat  was  not  required,  the  smoke 
served  to  keep  the  myriad  insects  away.  "  To- 
morrow we  sail  for  the  unknown,  for  this  Terra 
Firma,  this  New  Spain,  the  goal  of  our  ambitions." 

"And  we  sail  not  empty-handed,  eh,  Roger?" 
laughed  his  friend.  "  Why,  already  we  have  a  king's 
ransom  below  our  decks,  and  that  in  itself  is  a  prize." 

"  Sufficient,  in  fact,  to  tempt  others  to  follow  our 
endeavour  should  we  be  forced  to  return  now," 
agreed  Roger.  "  'Tis  strange  that  we  English,  who 
at  home  are  professed  friends  of  the  Spaniards, 
though  few  feel  much  liking  for  them — and  'tis 

103 


Roger  the  Bold 


whispered  that  the  King's  Majesty  is  not  too  well 
disposed  toward  the  country — should  out  here  be  at 
daggers  drawn,  ready  to  rend  one  another,  and  to 
fall  on  one  another's  necks  with  violence  when  the 
opportunity  offers.  Tis  passing  strange." 

"  But  the  cause  is  not  far  to  seek,"  said  Philip. 
"  The  greed  of  gold,  mayhap  of  new  lands,  makes  us 
enemies.  Spain  covets  all  these  Indies,  and,  like  a 
dog  with  a  bone,  snarls  over  this  fair  land.  But 
we  will  pick  some  of  the  finest  parts,  and,  mark  my 
words,  should  we  return  successful,  then  others  will 
follow,  others  better  armed,  with  bigger  cannon, 
ready  to  wrest  the  Indies  from  Spain.  Heigho !  I 
shall  feel  sorry  indeed  when  the  moment  conies  to 
part  with  Cuba.  'Tis  an  enchanted  land.  But  let 
us  try  this  habit  again.  Tamba  tells  us  that  the 
natives  commence  to  smoke  when  barely  youths." 

"  Then  I  will  have  none  of  it,"  answered  Roger, 
with  a  wry  face.  "  To  those  born  to  the  custom  it 
may  be  well  enough,  but  to  me — ugh!  my  head 
swims  and  my  stomach  sickens  when  I  make  the 
attempt." 

Philip,  too,  had  had  as  little  success,  and  after  two 
attempts  had  given  up  all  thought  of  tobacco.  Nor 
was  it  to  be  wondered  at,  for  in  those  days  the  habit 
was  looked  upon  by  Europeans  who  happened  to  be 
in  the  Indies  as  one  fit  only  for  savages.  However, 
the  two  young  fellows  had  plenty  of  other  matters 
to  occupy  themselves  with,  for  a  careful  watch  had 
to  be  kept,  and  this  was  accomplished  by  cutting  a 
new  road  through  the  forest  to  an  elevated  peak,  the 
summit  of  which  commanded  the  adjacent  country. 
And  from  this,  one  or  other  of  them,  in  the  company 
of  natives,  kept  a  look-out  throughout  every  day. 

104 


A  Stranger  comes  Aboard 

The  remainder  of  their  time  was  spent  in  the  forest, 
shooting  wild  beasts  and  birds  with  their  crossbows, 
and  in  gathering  knowledge  of  the  wild  fruits  and 
flowers  which  grew  in  profusion  all  round  them. 
At  last,  however,  this  enjoyable  time  came  to  an  end, 
and  they  marched  to  the  sea  once  more.  There  the 
fort  on  the  point  was  found  to  be  abandoned,  the  ship 
upright,  and  wearing  a  coat  of  rough  paint,  while 
her  only  connection  with  the  shore  was  a  strong 
rope.  All  entered  the  solitary  boat  and  went 
aboard.  The  rope  was  cast  off,  and  the  brigantine, 
catching  the  breeze,  made  for  the  open  water. 

"  A  fair  wind  is  a  fine  omen,"  said  Sir  Thomas  in 
his  hearty  voice,  smacking  Roger  on  the  back.  "  The 
breeze  comes  from  the  east,  and  our  course  is  due 
west.  What  could  be  more  advantageous  ?  We  put 
out  for  the  last  part  of  our  voyage  with  hale  men, 
with  natives  who  loathe  the  Spaniards,  and  who 
make  up  for  our  losses,  and  with  a  store  of  fresh 
water  and  provisions  aboard." 

"  With  gold  in  addition,"  Roger  ventured  to 
remind  him. 

"Ay,  with  abundance  of  gold.  Now,  Sir  Giant, 
you  will  command  one  of  the  watches,  and  when  we 
first  sight  this  Terra  Firma  it  will  be  your  task  to 
gather  tidings  of  this  strange  city.  Maybe  this 
Tamba,  who  speaks  Spanish,  also  has  some  few 
words  of  the  language  of  the  natives  of  these  parts 
for  which  we  sail.  It  is  not  impossible.  For,  con- 
sider :  how  came  these  men  on  the  island  of  Cuba 
and  elsewhere?  Were  they  there  some  little 
while  after  the  flood  of  which  the  Bible  speaks? 
Some  say  so,  while  others  hold  that  the  nations  of 
the  earth  come  from  a  common  stock,  which  slowly 

105 


Roger  the  Bold 

increased,  while  many  migrated.  In  course  of  time 
their  languages  have  changed,  and  also  their  appear- 
ances. Climates  and  circumstances  have  brought 
the  alteration,  and  may  it  not  be  that  these  same 
natives  whom  we  have  aboard  are  first  cousins  to 
these  others  on  the  Terra  Firma,  alike  to  them  in 
looks,  and  perhaps  in  somewhat  of  their  tongue?" 

The  commander  of  the  brigantine  was  silent  for 
a  few  minutes  while  he  considered  the  question ; 
for  he  was  a  naturally  thoughtful  man,  and,  in  those 
days,  a  much-travelled  one.  Presently  he  turned  to 
Roger  again. 

"You  shall  go  ashore,"  he  said,  "and  with  you 
will  go  the  golden  plaque  which  we  have  treasured. 
Then,  with  the  help  of  this  Tamba,  you  will  search 
for  some  of  the  natives,  and  make  friends  with  them 
by  means  of  gifts.  Perhaps  some  will  have  been  to 
this  wonderful  city  which  stands  within  a  lake.  Who 
knows  ?  Perhaps  we  may  come  upon  the  very 
shores  of  the  lake,  for  I  hold  that  it  must  be  within 
easy  distance  of  the  coast,  or  else  how  did  this  Fer- 
nando Cortes  come  to  possess  the  plaque  ?  Till  we 
sight  the  land,  you  will  command  one  of  the  watches." 

Two  mornings  later,  as  Roger  was  preparing  to 
call  the  relief,  who  would  take  his  place  on  deck,  a 
strange  object  in  the  distance  caught  his  attention, 
and  he  called  Peter  Tamworth  to  him. 

"A  boat— a  small  boat,"  said  the  latter,  with 
assurance  bred  of  long  service  to  the  sea.  "  There 
is  a  sail  too,  but  it  hangs  ragged,  and  the  boat  steers 
herself.  Yes,  she  floats  in  a  circle,  for  she  cannot  be 
said  to  sail,  though  her  canvas  catches  the  wind  on 
occasion." 

The  two  looked  long  and  steadily  at  the  strange 

106 


A  Stranger  comes  Aboard 

object,  and  soon  Roger  felt  sure  that  Peter  had 
made  no  mistake. 

"  A  boat  out  here  I  "  he  said  in  astonishment — 
"  in  these  seas  which  I  thought  to  be  deserted,  for 
we  have  seen  nothing  but  horizon  these  last  two 
days,  since  we  dropped  the  coast  of  Cuba." 

"  But  Spaniards  control  these  waters ;  do  not 
forget  that,"  was  the  answer.  "  Therefore  it  requires 
no  wit  to  guess  at  the  owners.  Tis  a  Spanish  boat 
— a  derelict,  maybe,  dropped  from  some  vessel,  or 
broken  from  its  moorings  at  Santiago." 

"Then  you  think  that  no  one  is  aboard?" 

"As  certainly  as  I  guess  that  she's  Spanish. 
Still,  who  can  say,  Master  Roger,  the  lieutenant  ? 
There  may  be  a  crew  of  cut-throats  aboard  her,  in 
which  case  we  shall  run  them  over  with  our  prow 
and  never  miss  them." 

"  But  what  if  they  are  storm-beaten  ?  "  demanded 
Roger.  "  I  even  think  that  I  see  a  form  aboard. 
Wait  till  I  have  climbed  the  mast,  for  from  there  I 
shall  get  a  finer  view." 

He  ran  along  the  deck,  and  clambered  up  to  the 
trees,  where  he  remained  for  a  few  minutes. 

"  As  I  thought,"  he  said.  "  There  is  one  solitary 
figure  aboard,  and  he  lies  across  the  thwarts  as  if 
he  were  dead.  We  must  succour  him.  Go  you  to 
Sir  Thomas  with  the  news." 

An  hour  later,  when  the  brigantine  came  up  with 
the  boat,  those  aboard  the  former  saw  that  the  dere- 
lict was  of  Spanish  manufacture,  and  that  a  Spaniard 
lay  in  a  heap,  half  on  the  thwarts  and  half  in  the 
bottom.  His  head  was  sunk  on  his  breast,  and  he 
took  no  notice  of  the  strangers. 

"Lost  at  sea,  and  dead  perhaps,"  said  Sir 
107 


Roger  the  Bold 


Thomas.  "  It  shall  not  be  said  of  us  that  we  treated 
Spaniards  badly ;  for  did  we  not  feed  our  prisoners 
in  Cuba  and  release  them  ere  we  sailed  ?  We  will 
succour  this  poor  fellow.  Run  us  closer,  master, 
and  let  two  of  the  men  be  prepared  to  drop  down 
into  her." 

A  few  minutes  later  they  were  running  gently 
alongside  the  tiny  boat,  and,  thanks  to  the  care  of 
the  steersman,  two  of  the  sailors  were  able  to  drop 
into  her.  A  rope  was  heaved  to  them,  and  in  a  little 
while  the  stranger  was  towing  at  the  stern. 

"  Not  dead,  but  far  gone,  it  seems,"  was  the 
report  of  one  of  the  men.  "  There  is  not  a  scrap  of 
food  aboard,  and  only  a  wooden  bowl  to  show  that 
he  had  water,  but  now  it  is  as  dry  as  a  bone." 

"Then  we  will  fashion  a  sling  and  pull  him  up," 
said  Sir  Thomas ;  "  or,  better,  do  you,  Roger  de 
Luce,  lean  well  over  the  side,  and  others  shall  hold 
you ;  then  those  aboard  the  boat  can  pull  alongside 
and  hand  the  fellow  up.  Now,  let  us  not  bungle 
the  matter ;  we  will  take  the  greater  pains  because 
he  is  a  Spaniard." 

It  required  but  a  little  time  to  carry  out  the 
operation,  and  very  soon  the  stranger  lay  under  an 
awning  on  the  deck,  while  Peter  Tamworth  knelt 
beside  him. 

"  I  warrant  he  has  not  been  overlong  at  sea,"  he 
said,  eyeing  the  man  critically,  "  for  his  clothes  are 
not  oversoiled,  and  he  is  not  so  thin.  Then,  too, 
his  lips  are  not  swollen,  as  I  have  seen  before  in 
other  cases.  'Twere  well  to  be  sure  that  he  were 
no  spy." 

"  Tush,  man  !  Why  think  of  such  a  thing  ?  " 
demanded  Sir  Thomas,  angrily.  "  Who  would  risk 

108 


A  Stranger  comes  Aboard 

almost  certain  death  in  such  a  manner?  We  might 
have  sailed  some  leagues  to  north  or  south.  We 
might  so  easily  have  lost  him,  or  he  us,  to  follow 
your  reasoning.  And  if  we  had,  could  he  live  to 
reach  the  land  ?  " 

The  argument  seemed  conclusive,  and,  moreover, 
though  this  Spaniard  did  not  appear  to  be  at  the 
last  extremity,  he  seemed  to  have  lost  his  senses. 

"  This  sun  blazing  on  his  head  would  be  suffi- 
cient for  that,"  said  Sir  Thomas.  "The  man  is  a 
derelict,  and  it  matters  not  to  us  whether  he  is  in 
extremes  or  but  lately  become  unconscious  ;  we  will 
succour  him  all  the  same.  Come,  now,  let  an  old 
campaigner  give  advice.  Give  him  water  first,  but  in 
little  sips,  and  not  much  at  that ;  later,  he  shall  have 
his  fill,  when  he  is  able  to  eat.  Roger  de  Luce  and 
the  surgeon  will  look  to  him,  while  we  see  that  the 
boat  is  hoisted.  There  was  nothing  else  aboard  ?  " 

"  Nothing,"  was  the  answer. 

"And  he  has  no  papers  about  him?" 

"  I  have  searched,"  answered  Roger.  "  His 
pockets  are  empty ;  there  is  nothing  on  him." 

"Then  he  is  deserving  of  our  compassion.  Let 
us  deal  with  him  as  we  would  wish  to  be  dealt  with 
were  we  in  like  predicament.  Let  him  have  water, 
as  I  said,  and  later  his  fill  of  meat." 

That  evening  the  Spaniard  was  able  to  sit  up, 
and  even  to  struggle  to  his  feet,  but  he  was  as  yet 
too  weak  to  give  an  account  of  himself.  However, 
on  the  following  morning  Roger  questioned  him  in 
the  presence  of  the  commander. 

"  Let  us  hear  where  you  come  from,"  he  said 
kindly.  "  We  discovered  you  in  the  middle  of  the 
ocean,  far  from  land,  and  without  food  or  water." 

109 


Roger  the  Bold 


"Would  I  had  died!"  was  the  answer,  as  the 
man  stared  at  Roger,  astounded  to  find  one  aboard 
an  English  ship  who  spoke  his  language.  "  Would 
I  had  died  !  For  it  seems  that  I  have  fallen  from 
the  hands  of  one  enemy  into  those  of  another." 

"  But  why  ?  "  demanded  Roger.  "  We  are  ene- 
mies to  your  countrymen,  for  the  simple  reason  that 
they  attacked  us  on  the  high  seas;  but  to  you — never! 
We  have  saved  you  from  death,  and,  when  the  time 
comes,  we  will  hand  you  back  to  your  comrades." 

"  And  to  sure  death,"  was  the  reply.  "  Listen, 
senor.  I  am  deemed  a  traitor.  It  is  thought 
that  I  have  conspired  against  the  Governor  of 
Santiago,  and  my  punishment  was  this " 

He  stopped  as  if  he  were  fatigued,  and  sipped 
at  the  vessel  of  water  beside  him. 

"  I  was  condemned  to  put  to  sea  in  an  open 
boat,"  he  said  faintly,  as  if  the  memory  of  his  trouble 
was  too  great  for  him.  "  I  was  taken  aboard  a 
galleon  a  week  ago,  and  dropped  into  this  boat. 
There  I  was  left,  with  little  food  and  water,  with  no 
chart,  and  no  knowledge  of  the  ways  of  the  sea ;  and 
all  around  me,  when  the  galleon  went  out  of  sight, 
was  water.  Oh,  the  awful  horror  of  it !  " 

He  shuddered,  and  buried  his  face  in  his  hands. 
Then,  regaining  courage,  he  proceeded — 

"  I  take  Heaven  to  witness  that  I  was  no  traitor 
and  no  conspirator.  But  what  use  is  it  to  repine? 
A  week  ago  I  thought  that  death  stared  me  in  the 
face,  and  when  a  few  days  had  gone  I  longed  for 
the  end  to  come.  But  one  struggles  even  for  the 
most  miserable  of  lives,  for  existence  is  dear  to  us 
all.  I  steered  the  boat  as  well  as  I  could,  in  what 
direction  I  knew  not.  Then  my  arm  tired,  my 

no 


A  Stranger  comes  Aboard 

strength  failed,  and  the  sun  overpowered  me.  I 
knew  no  more  till  I  found  myself  beneath  this  awn~ 
ing.  And  you  will  befriend  me  ?  Doubtless  you 
are  bound  for  England  ?  " 

There  was  silence  on  the  deck,  while  the  com- 
mander nodded  to  Roger. 

"  Did  I  not  say  so  ? "  he  asked,  after  a  little 
while.  "A  spy  would  know  that  that  was  not  our 
intention." 

"  Unless  he  acted  a  part,"  answered  Roger, 
quietly.  "That  supposition  is  still  open." 

"  Not  to  us,"  was  the  stern  answer.  "  We  will 
give  the  man  full  trust,  or  none  at  all.  His  tale  is 
true  on  the  face  of  it.  But  bid  him  continue,  and 
ask  him  of  this  far  country  to  which  we  are  bound. 
Let  him  know  that  we  are  for  the  Terra  Firma." 

"  We  are  bound  for  the  west,"  said  Roger.  "  We 
are  in  search  of  a  city  the  plan  of  which  was  captured 
from  a  Spanish  ship." 

"  Show  it  to  me.  Let  me  see  it,"  demanded  the 
Spaniard,  eagerly.  "  If  it  is  that  plan  of  which  I 
have  heard,  then  indeed  shall  I  be  able  to  deal 
punishment  to  those  who  have  ill-used  me.  Yes, 
and  I  can  bring  riches  to  those  who  have  saved  my 
life,  to  friends  who  should  be  enemies." 

Roger  translated  the  words  to  Sir  Thomas,  who 
at  once  ordered  the  plaque  to  be  brought. 

"What  does  he  know?"  he  asked  impatiently. 
"  Let  us  hear  what  he  has  to  say." 

But  no  amount  of  questioning  would  induce  the 
Spaniard  to  speak  till  the  plaque  had  arrived.  He 
took  it  in  his  hand,  and  gazed  at  it  attentively, 
turning  it  over  and  over. 

"'Tis  the  very  one,  the  golden  disc,"  he  said, 
ill 


Roger  the  Bold 


"and  now  I  can  repay  your  kindness.  Bid  your 
commander  tell  me  whether  I  may  take  service  in 
the  ranks.  My  name  is  Alvarez  de  Logas,  a  good 
Spanish  name,  and  I  swear  to  be  true  to  all  of  this 
expedition." 

He  stared  at  Sir  Thomas  as  Roger  interpreted, 
attempting  to  read  his  answer. 

"Tell  him  that  for  his  help  we  will  take  him  into 
our  ranks,"  said  the  commander.  "  But  he  must 
make  no  error.  His  service  must  be  true  and 
honourable,  for  if  he  shows  me  or  any  a  sign  of 
faithlessness,  he  shall  be  shot  at  once.  Those 
orders  shall  be  published  to  all  aboard." 

"  And  they  are  just,"  agreed  Alvarez.  "  Kill  me 
if  I  prove  untrue  to  my  word.  I  swear  to  aid  you, 
to  take  your  side  against  my  countrymen ;  for  they 
cast  me  out.  They  sent  me  to  a  horrible  death, 
and  they  are  no  longer  my  people.  I  become  an 
Englishman  from  this  moment,  and  I  will  obey  all 
orders.  But  let  me  speak  of  this  disc,  this  golden 
plaque,  with  the  sun's  image  on  one  side,  and  a  plan 
on  the  reverse.  It  is  a  drawing  of " 

Sir  Thomas,  Peter  Tamworth,  and  many  of  the 
gentlemen  adventurers  crowded  nearer  as  Roger 
interpreted  word  for  word,  and  threatened  to  fall 
upon  the  man. 

"Yes,  yes,"  exclaimed  the  commander,  im- 
patiently. "Concerns  what  place?  Come!  The 
name  without  further  dallying." 

"  It  gives  the  outline  of  the  great  city  of  Mexico, 
on  the  Terra  Firma,  but  lately  discovered  by 
Fernando  Cortes." 

"  Mexico  !  Mexico ! "  They  repeated  the  word 
as  if  it  were  some  strange  charm. 

112 


A  Stranger  comes  Aboard 

"  Mexico,  the  great  city  built  within  the  borders 
of  a  lake,  the  home  of  vast  riches,"  said  Alvarez. 
"  This  plan  marks  the  treasury,  and,  it  is  said,  was 
kept  secret  by  Fernando.  It  is  also  said  that  he  sent 
the  relic  to  Ferdinand  of  Spain,  but  that  it  was  cap- 
tured by  the  English.  Then  came  news,  so  report 
says,  that  the  ambassador  from  our  country  sent 
word  of  an  intended  sailing,  and  that  a  ship  arrived 
at  Cuba  a  week  after  the  fight  in  which  you  beat  my 
countrymen,  those  who  were  my  comrades,  but  who 
now  are  enemies.  But  this  Fernando  had  heard  the 
tale  of  the  capture,  and  for  that  reason  a  watch  was 
set  on  the  narrow  seas  about  the  island  of  Cuba,  and 
fast  vessels  stationed  there.  For  England  is  not 
wanted  here.  None  of  your  countrymen  are 
desired,  and  least  of  all  those  who  have  the  golden 
plaque;  for  then,  were 'this  Mexico  reached,  and 
the  natives  friendly,  this  treasure,  which  we  of  Spain 
desired,  might  fall  to  your  lot,  for  the  plaque  holds 
the  secret.  Yes,  it  holds  the  secret,  for  in  the  plan 
is  given  the  whereabouts  of  the  treasury,  and  none 
else  know  of  its  position  save  the  Mexicans  them- 
selves, and  Fernando  Cortes.  He,  it  is  said,  was 
told  by  some  Indian  woman,  who  is  skilled  in  these 
pictures.  But  all  the  others  are  ignorant," 

"And  this  city?"  demanded  Sir  Thomas,  breath- 
lessly. "Where  does  it  lie,  and  who  commands  it?" 

"Tis  directly  west  of  Yucatan.  Make  the 
northern  point  of  that,  and  then  proceed  without 
change  of  course.  As  for  the  commander.  The  tale 
came  to  us  at  Cuba  that  Montezuma  was  king  till  a 
little  while  ago,  and  that  Fernando  lodged  in  the 
city  itself,  and  held  the  king  as  hostage.  But  he 
had  few  men,  and  was  too  weak  to  do  more.  Also 

(B  666)  1 13  H 


Roger  the   Bold 


the  Mexicans  were  becoming  more  and  more  un- 
friendly. They  wore  a  threatening  look,  and  it 
appeared  as  though  this  Cortes  would  be  driven 
out  at  any  time.  Whether  that  has  happened  I  do 
not  know,  but  I  can  say  that  at  that  time  no  treasure 
had  come  to  his  hand.  This  plaque  was  stolen,  1 
believe,  while  the  other  riches  wefe  gifts  from  King 
Montezuma.  Bear  me  to  this  part  of  the  Terra 
Firma,  and  I  promise  to  aid  you  in  your  search  for 
the  wealth  of  Mexico." 

"And  to  hold  news  of  our  arrival  from  your  late 
comrades? "  demanded  Roger,  sternly.  "Swear  it! " 

"  I  do,  most  solemnly.  I  take  oath  to  serve  you 
loyally.  Let  death  be  my  reward  if  I  fail." 

There  was  silence  for  a  little  while,  and  then  the 
meeting  broke  up,  Sir  Thomas  trudging  the  deck  in 
a  brown  study,  while  Phil  and  Roger  retired  to  a 
favourite  spot  and  sat  upon  the  rail. 

"What  think  you  of  the  tale?"  asked  our  hero 
presently.  "  'Tis  a  cruel  thing  to  send  a  countryman 
adrift  upon  the  sea." 

"And  worse  still  out  in  these  parts,"  answered 
Philip ;  "  for  might  it  not  have  happened  that  this 
boat  would  drift  to  some  desert  island,  or,  worse,  to 
some  island  inhabited  by  unfriendly  natives — poor 
fellows  who  have  already  seen  and  felt  the  cruelty 
of  the  Spaniards.  'Twas  a  wicked  act." 

"Then,  why  send  him  with  food  and  water?" 

For  a  little  while  Philip  sat  looking  at  his  friend, 
drumming  his  heels  on  the  deck,  while  Roger  lolled 
with  half-closed  eyes. 

"  Why  prolong  his  agony  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Why 
give  him  the  means  to  live  when  death  was  allotted 
to  him?" 

114 


A  Stranger  comes  Aboard 

"  Because .     Why,  you  don't  think ?  " 

"  I  think  nothing,"  was  Roger's  curt  answer. 
"  I  loll  upon  the  deck,  enjoying  the  sun  and  the 
motion  of  the  boat,  and  I  think  nothing  of  im- 
portance. But  I  do  not  sleep,  and  I  watch,  or  hope 
to,  Philip." 

"  Then  you  suspect  ?  " 

"Nothing.  I  have  heard  the  tale,  and  as  I  let 
the  points  run  through  my  mind,  I  ask  if  it  appears 
a  natural  one,  whether  it  was  possible  that  it 
happened  so.  Then  I  think  of  what  might  be 
gained  by  a  clever  ruse,  played  by  a  bold  ancj 
adventurous  man.  Have  we  not  all  heard  that 
those  who  come  to  these  Indies  from  Old  Spain  are 
the  adventurous  ones,  the  men  who  cannot  live 
quietly  at  home?  And  do  we  not  all  know  the 
greed  for  gold,  for  we  ourselves  have  it?  Then,  if 
a  man  played  such  a  part,  and  made  new  friends- 
Philip  sat  up  suddenly.  "  I  never  thought  of 
that,"  he  said  breathlessly.  "If  a  bold  man  had 
purposely  sailed  from  the  land,  and  had  lain  in  wait 
for  us,  he  could  have  pretended  to  be  senseless.  He 
could  have  kept  a  store  of  food  and  drink  aboard  till 
we  hove  in  sight,  and  since  our  course  was  to  the 
west,  to  this  Terra  Firma,  to  this  New  Spain,  and  all 
in  Cuba  knew  it,  the  chances  of  falling  in  with  us 
were  not  so  unlikely.  Then,  under  the  cover  of 
friendship,  and  while  protesting  hatred  for  these 
Spaniards,  a  man  might  snatch  this  prize,  might  use 
it  for  his  own  purposes." 

"  Or  win  the  reward  which  has  doubtless  been 
offered  for  it.  Yes,  Philip,  that  is  how  I  have 
thought  of  the  matter ;  and  yet  I  do  not  like  to 
suspect  this  man.  It  seems  unkind  and  uncharitable. 

115 


Roger  the   Bold 


Still,  my  mind  is  not  easy,  and  I  shall  watch.  More 
than  that,  I  shall  ask  Tamba  to  do  the  same.  But 
not  a  word  to  the  others,  for  were  we  to  speak,  and 
then  prove  to  be  wrong,  as  seems  very  likely  to  be 
the  case,  then  we  should  earn  the  enmity  of  Alvarez, 
and  have  few  thanks  from  Sir  Thomas  for  our  pains." 

They  chatted  for  a  little  while,  and  then  strolled 
away. 

"  If  all  is  well  there  will  be  no  suspicion  aroused," 
said  Roger.  "  But  if  otherwise,  this  Alvarez  will 
be  on  the  watch.  He  knows  me,  for  I  have  acted  as 
interpreter,  and  he  will  naturally  think  that  if  any 
one  should  be  suspicious  of  his  tale,  I  shall  be  that 
one.  So  do  not  let  us  be  seen  with  our  heads 
together  too  often." 

Accordingly  the  two  took  care  to  be  seldom 
together,  while  Roger  kept  out  of  the  way  of  Alvarez 
as  much  as  possible.  When  he  happened  to  meet 
him,  which  was  often  on  such  a  small  vessel,  he 
chatted  in  a  friendly  manner,  for  he  determined  that 
nothing  on  his  part  should  lead  the  Spaniard  to 
think  that  he  had  doubts.  And  very  soon  he  had 
his  reward ;  for  when  the  first  week  had  passed 
Alvarez's  manner  changed.  He  saw  that  all  aboard 
were  frank  and  open  with  him,  and  prepared  to 
accept  him  as  a  friend,  and  he  lost  the  air  of  caution, 
the  watchful  manner  which  he  had  borne  when  first 
he  was  lifted  aboard.  Then  he  joined  the  men  at 
their  meals,  and  Roger  noticed  that  he  listened  to 
their  chatter  with  a  crafty  smile.  He  even  attempted 
English,  with  wonderful  success,  so  much  so  that 
when  three  weeks  had  passed,  and  the  northern 
point  of  Yucatan  had  been  weathered,  he  could 
almost  understand  when  spoken  to,  while  his 

116 


A  Stranger  comes  Aboard 

attempts  at  a  response  were  more  than  creditable. 
A  week  later  land  was  sighted,  and  preparations 
made  to  disembark. 

"  You  will  go  ashore  with  Tamba,"  said  Sir 
Thomas  to  Roger,  "  and  it  would  be  as  well  to  take 
this  Spaniard  with  you.  Methinks  that  he  has  seen 
the  coast  hereabouts,  for  I  have  watched  him  leaning 
over  the  rail  with  his  eyes  on  the  land.  Ask  him 
the  question." 

"  Our  leader  thinks  that  you  may  have  been  here 
before,  and  failed  to  tell  us,"  said  Roger,  attracting 
Alvarez's  attention  by  a  touch  on  the  shoulder,  and 
noticing  with  what  a  start  he  listened  to  him.  "  Is 
this  the  case?  Have  you  been  a  voyage  to  this 
Terra  Firma  ?  " 

"  Never  before,"  was  the  answer,  though  Roger 
could  see  that  he  was  ill  at  ease.  He  was  taken 
unawares,  and  for  a  moment  had  forgotten  his  fine 
acting.  "  These  lands  are  strange  to  me,  but  I  have 
listened  to  tales  of  them,  and  I  wondered  whether  I 
could  tell  from  the  appearance  of  yonder  coast  to 
what  part  we  have  come.  It  must  be  somewhere 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Vera  Cruz,  the  town  which 
Fernando  Cortes  was  founding  when  news  last 
came  from  him." 

"  Then  we  will  search  for  it,"  said  Roger.  "  The 
commander's  orders  are  that  you  and  I  go  ashore 
and  search  for  natives,  to  give  us  the  direction." 

Was  there  a  faint  gleam  of  triumph  in  the 
Spaniard's  eyes  as  he  heard  the  news?  Roger 
wondered,  and  grew  more  suspicious.  Then  he 
turned  away,  and  made  preparations  for  the  landing. 
A  few  hours  later  the  brigantine  brought  up  within 
a  few  hundred  yards  of  a  sandy  shore,  and  the  boat 

117 


Roger  the  Bold 


was  lowered.  A  dozen  armed  men  clambered  into 
it,  while  Roger  and  Tamba  took  their  places  in  the 
stern,  both  armed  with  crossbows  and  with  sword 
and  dagger,  for  our  hero  had  taken  pains  to  teach 
the  native  the  use  of  these  weapons.  Under  one 
arm,  secured  in  a  bag  which  was  slung  to  his 
shoulder,  he  carried  the  precious  golden  disc.  A 
minute  later  Alvarez  scrambled  down  to  the  boat 
and  took  his  place  beside  him. 

"  Let  us  pray  for  success,  senor,"  he  said 
blandly.  "  Let  us  hope  that  natives  will  be  there 
who  can  tell  us  the  way  to  Mexico.  The  name  will 
be  sufficient.  Speak  it,  and  if  they  have  heard  of 
the  place  they  will  give  us  the  direction." 

"Shove  off!"  shouted  the  sailor  at  the  rudder, 
and  the  boat  was  at  once  pushed  from  the  side  of 
the  brigantine.  A  little  later  her  keel  slid  gently  on 
to  the  sand,  and  all  sprang  into  the  water  and  waded 
ashore.  As  at  the  port  in  Cuba,  there  were  trees 
here,  and  Roger  at  once  searched  for  an  inlet 
amongst  them. 

"  There  is  one  over  there,"  he  said,  pointing  to 
the  right,  and  speaking  in  Spanish.  "We  will  go 
that  way  and  try  our  fortune.  No  use  to  attempt  to 
penetrate  the  heart  of  the  forest,  for  natives  are  not 
likely  to  be  found  there." 

"And  we  shall  go  alone,  senor?"  asked  the 
Spaniard,  with  some  trace  of  anxiety. 

"With  Tamba,"  answered  Roger.  "Lead  us, 
Alvarez,  for  doubtless  you  are  more  used  to  these 
forests  than  are  we." 

There  was  a  vague,  questioning  look  in  the  eyes 
of  the  Spaniard.  His  brow  was  furrowed,  and  Roger 
could  see  that  he  was  thinking.  But  the  man  turned 

118 


A  Stranger  comes  Aboard 

on  his  heel  a  moment  later,  and  trudged  off  across 
the  sand,  while  Roger  and  Tamba  fell  in  behind,  a 
quick  glance  passing  between  them.  And  in  this 
order  they  reached  the  break  in  the  trees  and  entered 
the  shadow  of  the  forest.  Their  road  took  them 
along  the  side  of  a  stream,  and  though  they  searched 
for  traces  of  natives,  none  were  to  be  found.  The 
forest  trees  came  closer,  while  the  ground  they 
traversed  became  more  difficult.  They  clambered 
over  rocks  and  fallen  trunks,  and  sometimes  were 
compelled  to  wade  along  in  the  stream. 

"  We  are  doomed  to  disappointment,  senor," 
said  the  Spaniard,  halting  at  last  and  wiping  the 
perspiration  from  his  brow.  "  There  are  no  natives 
here,  and  never  have  been.  We  waste  our  breath 
and  our  strength,  and  we  run  the  risk  of  fever.  See 
how  damp  the  soil  is,  and  how  huge  the  trees.  Let 
us  return,  and  try  a  path  elsewhere." 

The  request  was  reasonable,  and  Roger  gladly 
assented  to  it.  But  it  happened  that  at  that  point 
the  river  had  narrowed,  and  chanced  to  run  through 
a  belt  of  rock,  a  strip  which  cropped  up  in  the  centre 
of  the  forest.  Tree  trunks  grew  close  on  either 
side,  and  to  return  in  the  same  order  would  have 
needed  an  effort ;  Alvarez  would  have  had  to 
squeeze  past  our  hero,  or  push  his  way  through 
the  undergrowth. 

"  Then  we  will  turn  and  walk  as  we  are  till  the 
path  widens,"  said  Roger,  for  one  small  moment 
forgetting  his  caution.  And  what  wonder!  It 
wanted  an  older  man  than  he,  one  experienced  in 
life,  who  had  met  men  of  every  sort,  and  had  learned 
to  trust  but  little,  to  keep  up  such  suspicions.  This 
Spaniard  had  done  nothing  to  cause  trouble.  Roger 

lit 


Roger  the  Bold 


was  forced  to  confess  that  not  once  had  the  details 
of  his  story  broken  down.  He  had  never  con- 
tradicted himself,  though  once  or  twice,  when  off 
his  guard,  his  answers  had  been  a  little  doubtful. 
Why  distrust  him  ?  Let  him  prove  his  honest 
intentions. 

It  was  a  fatal  mistake  ;  but  who  can  set  old  heads 
on  young  shoulders?  Roger  failed  to  notice  the 
gleam  which  came  to  the  Spaniard's  eye,  failed  to 
watch  the  triumph  written  on  his  face.  He  turned, 
and  followed  Tamba  along  the  rocky  bed.  There 
was  a  movement  behind  him  as  Alvarez  made  ready 
to  follow.  Then  something  pulled  gently  at  our 
hero's  shoulder,  a  dagger  blade  cut  the  strap  which 
secured  the  golden  plaque,  while  a  second  move- 
ment plunged  the  blade  deep  in  Roger's  shoulder. 
Not  till  then  had  there  been  a  sound.  Now,  how- 
ever, there  was  a  shout  of  astonishment,  a  sharp  cry 
of  pain,  and  when  Tamba  turned  towards  the  young 
Englishman,  whom  he  had  learned  to  look  to  as  his 
master,  Roger  lay  bleeding  in  the  water,  while  the 
figure  of  the  Spaniard  was  just  disappearing  amongst 
the  trees  of  the  forest. 


120 


CHAPTER  VII 
The  Hand  of  the  Traitor 

A  LVAREZ  DE  LOGAS,  the  frank  and  friendly 
*~V  Spaniard,  had  proved  false,  had  acted  worse 
than  dishonourably,  for  he  had  stolen  the  confidence 
of  the  crew  of  the  brigantine,  and  the  golden  disc 
at  the  same  time.  He  was  a  traitor  to  his  new 
comrades,  and  a  murderer  at  heart,  for  he  had 
struck  Roger  with  his  dagger. 

"  Where  am  I  ?  What  has  happened  to  me,  and 
why  are  we  here  in  the  forest  ? "  asked  our  hero 
three  days  later,  when  he  opened  his  eyes  for  the 
first  time  since  he  had  received  the  treacherous 
stroke.  "  Is  that  you,  Tamba?  Tell  me  what  has 
happened.  I  have  been  dreaming.  I  thought  that 
we  had  come  to  this  New  Spain,  to  Terra  Firma, 
and  that  you  and  I  and " 

He  suddenly  broke  off  with  a  feeble  groan,  while 
the  native  knelt  beside  him,  taking  his  hand  to 
comfort  him. 

"  I  do  not  understand,  my  lord,"  he  said.  "You 
speak  your  own  tongue,  and  forget  that  I  cannot. 
What  are  the  questions  ?  " 

Roger  repeated  them  feebly,  while  he  closed  his 
eyes,  for  even  there  the  rays  of  the  sun  were  trying. 
But  Tamba  was  a  discerning  nurse,  and  at  once 

121 


Roger  the  Bold 


placed  a  screen  of  huge  leaves,  secured  to  a  stake, 
between  the  rays  and  Roger's  eyes. 

"You  were  hurt,"  he  whispered.  "The  treacherous 
Spaniard  proved  to  be  all  that  you  suspected,  and 
he  snatched  his  opportunity.  He  is  gone,  and  three 
days  have  passed  since  I  saw  the  last  of  him." 

"And  he  has  stolen  the  golden  disc?  Then 
follow!  Do  not  lose  another  instant.  Follow  at 
once,  and  pursue  him  till  you  come  up  with  him. 
The  disc  was  entrusted  to  my  care,  and  what  am  I 
to  say  when  we  return  to  the  brigantine  ?  " 

In  his  dismay  he  leaned  upon  his  elbow,  only 
to  sink  again  to  the  soft  bed  of  dried  leaves  with 
which  the  native  had  provided  him,  while  the  latter 
raised  his  eyes  at  the  mention  of  the  brigantine. 

"  1  would  chase  him  to  the  end  of  the  land  were 
I  able  to  do  so,  master,"  he  said.  "  But  what  then 
would  have  happened  to  you?  You  were  feeble. 
You  lay  senseless  in  the  water,  and  the  blood  poured 
from  your  wound.  I  thought  of  running  after  this 
Alvarez.  Then  I  thought  of  you,  and  I  said  to  myself 
that  your  life  was  more  valuable  to  me  and  to  the 
English  than  was  this  disc.  1  stayed,  therefore,  and 
Alvarez  is  gone.  But  not  for  good.  Master,  when 
you  are  strong  we  shall  come  up  with  him,  and 
then " 

Even  beneath  the  brown  skin  of  the  native  there 
could  be  seen  a  tinge  of  red  colour  as  the  blood 
rose  to  his  forehead  and  cheeks,  called  there  by  his 
hatred  and  indignation.  For  Tamba  was  one  of 
those  simple  fellows,  a  child  of  the  Cuban  forest, 
with  few  wants,  and  few  likes  and  dislikes.  His  was 
a  faithful  nature,  which  even  the  cruel  whip  of  the 
Spanish  overseer  had  been  unable  to  destroy,  and 

122 


The  Hand  of  the  Traitor 

where  he  had  placed  his  faith  he  kept  it.  Roger  was 
more  than  his  friend  and  master,  and  to  see  him 
struck  down  was  an  agony  to  Tamba.  Why,  then, 
should  he  chase  after  a  Spaniard  while  his  lord  bled 
slowly  to  death  ?  He  put  aside  the  idea  without  a 
second  thought,  and  on  that  fatal  day  promptly  set 
to  work  to  do  what  was  possible.  Taking  Roger  in 
his  arms,  he  dragged  him  along  the  stream  to  the 
most  suitable  open  spot,  and  there  he  placed  him 
on  a  soft  piece  of  turf,  while  he  himself  sought  for 
roots  and  herbs,  and  for  something  with  which  to 
dress  the  wound.  A  piece  of  Roger's  clothing  had 
sufficed  for  the  last,  and  Tamba  had  been  able  to 
stop  the  bleeding.  Then  he  went  to  the  shore  in 
search  of  the  English  soldiers.  But  they  were 
nowhere  to  be  seen,  though  the  brigantine  lay  in 
the  offing,  her  canvas  at  full  stretch,  beating  out  to 
sea,  two  Spanish  vessels  being  in  close  chase  of  her. 
It  was  a  terrible  blow,  and  the  native  hardly  knew 
how  to  break  the  news  to  Roger/ 

"You  were  hurt,!'  he  ventured  gently.  "And  I 
could  not  pursue  the  traitor  while  you  lay  in  the 
stream.  You  would  have  been  smothered  by*  the 
water  had  the  bleeding  not  killed  you.  So  I  brought 
you  here,  and  I  built  a  hut  over  you  while  you  lay 
insensible.  I  am  thankful  that  you  are  now  able 
to  speak." 

Roger  opened  his  eyes  and  looked  round  in 
amazement,  and  now  that  the  screen  of  leaves  had 
been  placed  between  him  and  the  sun  he  could 
easily  see.  His  eyes  blinked  at  the  unaccustomed 
light,  but  for  all  that  he  could  make  out  that  he  lay 
on  a  comfortable  bed,  that  a  hut  constructed  of  poles 
cut  from  the  forest,  and  of  broad  leaves  as  thatch, 

123 


Roger  the   Bold 


covered  him,  while  a  cool  breeze  swept  in  through 
the  open  sides.  There,  too,  was  the  stream  which 
he  had  lately  traversed,  and  all  about  him,  on  every 
side,  the  virgin  forest,  huge  trunks  with  towering 
foliage,  giant  creepers  which  crept  from  branch  to 
branch  and  bridged  the  spaces,  and  thousands  of 
gaudy  flowers.  The  air,  too,  seemed  to  be  full  of 
the  twitter  of  birds  which  flitted  here  and  there. 
Then  his  eye  went  to  the  spot  through  which  they 
had  come,  and  he  remembered  the  sea,  the  brigan- 
tine,  and  his  comrades. 

"  Where  are  they  ?  "  he  demanded  suddenly,  sit- 
ting up  with  another  start.  "  How  is  it,  if  I  have 
been  here  three  days,  that  they  are  not  with  me, 
that  our  apothecary  has  not  attended,  that  Sir 
Thomas  has  not  been  to  hear  my  news  ?  But  per- 
haps they  came  while  I  lay  senseless  or  asleep,  for 
I  think  I  must  have  been  unconscious.  I  have 
dreamed  one  long  dream.  And,  Tamba " 

The  native  was  beside  him  at  once,  holding  his 
hand,  and  lifting  a  gourd  of  water  to  his  lips. 

"  Tamba,  I  dreamed  that  this  Alvarez  had  killed 
me,  and  that  he  had  made  for  Mexico,  and  had  taken 
the  treasure.  But  tell  me  of  my  comrades.  Perhaps 
they  thought  it  better  that  I  should  rest  here.  Has 
Philip  been  to  see  me?" 

"  He  is  not  here.  None  are  within  call,  for  the 
brigantine  sailed  when  this  traitor  struck  his 
blow." 

The  news  was  stunning.  Roger  opened  his 
mouth  in  amazement,  and  lay  there  aghast. 

"The  brigantine  gone  without  us.  They  would 
never  desert  their  friends !  There  must  be  some 
mistake.  They  have  coasted  along,  and  will  return." 

124 


The  Hand  of  the  Traitor 

He  looked  at  Tamba  eagerly,  as  if  fearful  to  hear 
his  answer. 

"  They  went  three  days  ago,  as  I  have  said,  my 
lord,"  said  the  native.  "When  I  had  tended  to  you 
and  returned  to  the  shore  the  ship  was  out  on  the 
horizon,  and  two  Spaniards  were  in  chase  of  her. 
She  has  not  appeared  since,  though  I  have  been  to 
look.  But  one  of  the  Spaniards  has  returned,  and 
yesterday  she  sent  men  ashore  to  search.  But  they 
failed  to  come  this  way,  and  returned  to  their  vessel. 
We  are  safe  for  the  moment." 

"  But  what  is  to  become  of  us  ?  We  are  stranded 
in  an  unknown  land.  We  are  alone,  without  friends, 
and  who  knows  how  many  enemies  about  us  ?  Per- 
haps even  this  Alvarez  will  return  with  his  friends 
and  murder  us." 

"  He  has  gone  for  good,"  was  the  reassuring 
answer.  "  I  followed  his  track  when  you  were  well 
enough  to  be  left,  and  it  goes  straight  on  for  leagues. 
He  fled  without  turning,  never  dreaming  that  the 
ship  would  leave  us  here.  But  we  shall  live  through 
this  trial,  my  lord.  This  coast  is  not  far  from  the 
part  for  which  we  sailed — of  that  I  feel  sure ;  for 
would  this  Alvarez  have  run  just  here  had  the  dis- 
tance been  over  great  ?  What  he  can  do,  we  can  also." 

"  And  will ! "  exclaimed  Roger,  with  more 
strength  and  energy  than  he  had  hitherto  displayed. 
"  We  also  will  make  for  Mexico,  and  do  our  best  to 
treat  with  Montezuma,  or,  rather,  with  his  successor. 
What  fun  if  Peter  and  the  others  followed  us  to  find 
the  matter  all  arranged !  How  Peter  would  bridle  ! 
How  his  face  and  nose  would  shine !  But  I  must 
not  fly  too  far.  I  have  yet  to  get  well.  What  is 
the  nature  of  the  injury,  Tamba  ?  " 

125 


Roger  the  Bold 


"  A  simple  dagger  wound,  just  beneath  the 
shoulder  blade,  which  penetrated  the  lung,  and 
nearly  killed  because  of  the  bleeding.  My  lord  lay 
there  and  coughed  for  hours,  till  I  thought  that  he 
would  die.  Then  the  blood  ceased  to  come  from  his 
lips,  and  he  grew  better.  To-day  you  have  spoken 
for  the  first  time." 

"  And  from  this  moment  I  proceed  to  get  strong 
and  well,  for  I  cannot  bear  to  lie  here  while  my 
comrades  are  gone.  Nor  can  I  stay  much  longer 
and  think  that  Alvarez  has  possession  of  the  golden 
disc.  By  his  own  words — honest  words,  I  feel  sure— 
this  disc  keeps  the  secret  of  the  treasure  of  the 
Mexicans.  And  we  are  bound  to  Mexico  with 
the  thought  of  taking  some  of  those  riches  from 
the  Spaniards  before  all  are  gone.  Then  there  is 
no  time  to  lose.  I  must  grow  strong,  and  follow, 
and  then,  Tamba,  should  I  see  this  Alvarez,  I  swear 
to  punish  him  for  this  treachery,  not  because  I  have 
suffered  a  wound,  but  because  all  aboard  the  brigan- 
tine  will  have  suffered.  He  shall  die,  and  I  will  kill 
him." 

There  was  an  ugly  gleam  in  the  sick  youth's  eye 
— a  gleam  which  his  friends  had  seen  there  before 
when  the  brigantine  had  laid  herself  aboard  the 
Spanish  galleon.  Roger  was  not  vindictive,  nor 
even  pugnacious,  but  a  wrong  was  a  wrong,  and 
treachery  was  the  worst  of  offences.  As  to  the 
riches  in  Mexico,  it  never  occurred  to  our  hero  to 
think  what  right  he  and  his  comrades  had  to  them. 
The  expedition  was  formed,  as  many  were  to  be  in 
later  days,  to  obtain  gold,  to  wrest  it  from  the 
Spaniards  or  from  the  natives,  and  preferably  from 
the  former,  for  it  is  easie?  to  stand  aside  and  watch 

126 


The  Hand  of  the  Traitor 

while  one  man  gathers  gold  than  to  collect  it  one's  self. 
And  also,  the  prize  to  be  obtained  is  then  greater. 
Nowadays  such  an  expedition  would  be  inexcusable  ; 
but  then  it  was  different.  It  was  common  for 
nations  who  were  friendly  in  home  waters  to  come 
to  blows  when  far  away,  and  these  expeditions  for 
the  gathering  of  gold  were  looked  upon  as  legiti- 
mate, a  fair  adventure,  not  as  open  piracy,  as  we 
should  now  consider  them  to  be.  However,  Roger 
need  not  be  blamed  if  he  gave  little  thought  to  the 
matter,  considering  his  age ;  and,  besides,  he  had 
other  things  to  occupy  his  mind.  His  thoughts,  in 
fact,  were  busy  with  Alvarez,  while  he  blamed  him- 
self time  and  again  because  he  had  not  preserved 
more  caution. 

"  I  was  a  fool,"  he  thought,  "  to  turn  my  back 
even  for  a  second,  and,  of  course,  the  fellow  took 
advantage  of  the  fact.  But  how  he  hoodwinked  us 
all !  Even  I  could  never  prove  that  he  was  a  rogue. 
But  now  one  can  see  through  the  whole  matter. 
He  was  selected,  for  what  reason  I  dare  not  say, 
nor  why  a  big  galleon  was  not  sent — but  he  came 
out  in  a  tiny  boat,  and  sailed  from  Cuba  towards 
the  west.  No  doubt  he  was  on  the  look  out  for  us, 
and  therefore  saw  us  before  we  caught  sight  of  him. 
What  was  easier,  then,  than  to  tear  the  sail,  to  dis- 
arrange the  boat,  and  to  throw  food  and  water  over- 
board as  soon  as  he  was  sure  that  he  was  discovered  ? 
And  I  have  my  suspicions  that  he  could  talk  some- 
thing of  our  language,  for  he  progressed  amazingly. 
In  any  case,  he  played  the  part  well,  and  we  were 
deceived.  And  this  is  the  result !  " 

Roger  sat  up  and  surveyed  himself  and  his  long 
legs  in  dismay.  It  was  the  very  first  time  that  he 

127 


Roger  the  Bold 

had  ever  been  laid  up,  and  the  experience  was  new 
to  him.  He  felt  strangely  weak,  and  trembled  after 
the  slightest  exertion.  But  he  could  think,  if  he 
could  not  move,  and  he  spent  his  time  in  watching 
Tamba,  and  in  wondering  how  this  adventure  would 
terminate.  Nor  had  he  missed  the  mark  by  much 
when  he  spoke  of  the  Spaniard ;  for  a  clever  trick 
had  been  successfully  played  upon  the  leader  of  the 
English.  It  happened  that  not  far  from  the  mine  in 
Cuba  on  the  very  day  on  which  it  was  captured  was 
a  Spaniard,  this  same  Alvarez,  and  his  quick  ears 
detected  the  noise  of  firing.  That  led  him  to 
investigate  during  the  following  night,  for  he,  too, 
had  heard  of  the  presence  of  an  English  ship  on  the 
coast.  He  had  found  the  mine  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy,  and  he  had  debated  what  he  ought  to  do. 
If  he  left  for  the  nearest  Spanish  post  the  ship 
would  be  gone,  while  if  he  stayed  she  would  go 
when  her  damages  were  repaired.  Then  he  thought 
of  the  disc,  for  which  a  big  reward  had  been  offered, 
and,  being  an  adventurous  fellow, and  one,  moreover, 
accustomed  to  Englishmen,  for  he  had  once  attended 
an  ambassador  at  the  court  of  St.  James,  he  deter- 
mined to  seek  for  the  reward  himself.  He  knew  of 
a  boat  along  the  coast,  and  spent  a  few  days  in 
fetching  her.  Then  he  despatched  a  native  to  his 
comrades,  telling  them  of  his  discovery,  timing  its 
arrival  so  that  none  could  interfere. 

"None  can  save  the  situation  but  myself,"  he 
wrote.  "  But  I  have  faith  in  English  humanity,  and 
I  will  risk  the  attempt.  If  successful,  I  will  claim 
the  reward  of  Fernando  Cortes." 

The  reader  will  have  seen  that  Alvarez  had  made 
no  mistake.  No  Englishman  worthy  of  the  name 

m 


The  Hand  of  the  Traitor 

would  have  done  ought  else  than  succour  a  derelict 
man,  and  the  Spaniard,  having  a  specious  story,  was 
able  to  ingratiate  himself.  With  the  result  that  the 
disc  was  gone,  and  our  hero,  the  giant  crossbow- 
man  and  lieutenant,  lay  fretting  in  the  forest,  chained 
by  stronger  links  than  were  ever  worn  by  a  prisoner. 

A  week  later  Roger  was  able  to  rise,  while  within 
ten  days  he  could  walk.  Then,  too,  the  wound  was 
healed,  thanks  to  the  attention  of  Tamba.  Mean- 
while, nothing  had  been  seen  of  the  brigantine. 

"You  say  that  you  have  seen  the  Spaniard  in 
the  offing,  and  nearer  in  once  or  twice,"  said  Roger, 
thoughtfully,  as  he  and  the  native  crouched  over 
the  fire  which  burned  at  the  foot  of  one  of  the  trees. 
"  Then  I  fear  that  the  coast  is  being  patrolled,  and 
that  our  friends  are  unable  to  return.  Did  you  hear 
firing  on  that  day  when  Alvarez  struck  me  ?  " 

"  None.  Not  a  gun,  my  lord.  I  saw  the  brigan- 
tine away  at  sea,  and  two  galleons  after  her ;  but 
there  was  no  fighting." 

"  Then  Sir  Thomas  practised  the  old  ruse,"  said 
Roger.  "  He  doubled  back  at  night,  and  I  have 
little  doubt  sailed  towards  the  land.  But  finding  it 
patrolled,  he  sheered  off  again,  and  sailed  right  away, 
with  the  intention  of  returning.  He  will  do  that 
if  he  is  allowed  to,  and  in  case  we  are  gone,  we 
will  place  a  mark  or  a  letter  on  the  shore.  Let  us 
wait  for  three  weeks,  and  then  we  will  march.  Now 
tell  me  of  these  natives  you  have  seen." 

Tamba  had,  in  fact,  seen  some  strange  natives 
on  the  far  side  of  the  forest,  and  hastened  to  speak 
of  them. 

"  They  are  tall,  well  clothed,  and  have  straight 
black  hair,  such  as  I  have,"  he  said.  "  They  were  in 

(B566)  }29  I 


Roger  the   Bold 

a  body,  some  forty  strong,  and  I  think  that  they 
were  hunting.  But  I  did  not  approach  nearer,  for 
the  forest  goes  very  far,  and  it  was  past  noon." 

"Then  let  us  make  an  expedition  there  when  we 
have  put  our  mark  up  on  the  shore,"  said  Roger. 
"  We  will  take  three  days  over  it,  and  return  here 
again.  It  will  be  a  good  chance  for  me  to  test  my 
strength." 

On  the  following  morning  they  went  down  to 
the  beach,  and  there,  having  stripped  a  large  piece 
of  bark  from  a  tree,  Roger,  who  had  learned  to  write 
— a  very  unusual  accomplishment  in  those  days — cut 
letters  upon  it.  "  We  are  well,  and  await  your 
return,"  he  said.  "  We  are  going  into  the  country 
for  three  days  from  this,  and  shall  be  back  in  case 
you  come." 

"  There ! "  he  added,  showing  it  to  Tamba.  "  There 
is  no  date,  for  the  simple  reason  that  I  don't  know 
what  month  it  is,  nor  the  day  of  the  month ;  but  if 
they  come  they  can,  and  will,  wait  for  three  days. 
Now  we  will  go.  Let  us  take  our  crossbow  and 
our  other  weapons,  for  these  natives  may  prove 
unfriendly.  Food  we  can  get  on  the  way,  for  the 
forest  will  be  full  of  fruit." 

"  In  the  open  spaces  there  is  plenty,  but  not  in 
the  depths  of  the  jungle,"  answered  Tamba.  "  Then 
there  are  animals.  I  have  seen  deer  in  the  clearings, 
snakes,  and  other  beasts  that  I  do  not  know.  We 
are  secure  from  starvation,  while  water  is  plentiful." 

"  Then  we  can  set  out  with  a  light  heart.  Now, 
you  give  the  lead,  only  recollect  that  the  direction 
is  almost  due  north." 

Tamba  could  have  found  his  way  through  the 
forest  almost  blindfolded,  so  accustomed  was  he  to 

130 


The  Hand  of  the  Traitor 

the  work,  and  Roger  soon  found  him  invaluable ; 
for  our  hero  was  not  yet  so  strong  that  he  could 
march  all  day,  struggling  through  the  underwood, 
and  then  search  for  his  evening  meal.  In  fact,  he 
had  to  take  frequent  rests,  while  Tamba  went  off 
into  the  forest,  always  with  the  knowledge  that  he 
could  find  his  master  with  the  greatest  ease.  It  was 
on  one  of  these  occasions,  when  Roger  lay  full  length 
in  the  shade,  fanning  himself  with  a  leaf,  that  a 
beautiful  creature,  a  deer  of  some  species,  leaped 
into  the  natural  clearing  on  the  edge  of  which  Roger 
lay,  and  paused  there,  listening  to  the  crash  as  Tamba 
pushed  his  way  through  the  underwood.  It  was  a 
fine  opportunity,  and  for  the  first  time  for  many  a 
day  Roger  tried  his  hand  with  his  favourite  weapon, 
His  hand  sought  the  crossbow  slowly  and  silently, 
and  a  shaft  was  fitted  in  a  twinkling.  But  even  the 
creak  of  the  cord  as  the  bow  was  sprung  back  was 
sufficient  to  alarm  this  wild  creature.  It  lifted  its 
head  suspiciously,  sniffed  the  air,  and,  catching  sight 
of  the  strange  figure  at  the  base  of  the  tree,  bounded 
away  in  the  opposite  direction.  Roger  sat  up  sud- 
denly and  brought  the  bow  to  his  shoulder.  He 
took  a  rapid  aim,  and  fired  just  as  the  deer  was  dis- 
appearing. Then  he  gave  vent  to  a  shout  of  triumph, 
which  brought  Tamba  racing  back  to  him. 

"  A  meal  of  flesh  is  more  acceptable  than  one  of 
fruit ;  at  least  it  is  so  to  me,"  said  Roger,  joyously. 
"  Now,  Tamba,  set  to  work  with  me,  and  we  will 
skin  the  beast,  and  cut  him  into  quarters.  But,  tell 
me,  how  much  farther  have  we  to  march  before  we 
come  to  the  open  country?" 

"  About  six  leagues.  Three  hours  will  take  us 
there,  my  lord." 

131 


Roger  the  Bold 


"  Then  we  will  push  on  as  soon  as  the  beast  is 
quartered,  and  will  carry  the  joints.  To-night  we 
will  rest  and  feast,  and  to-morrow  we  will  march 
into  the  open  lands." 

Now  that  he  was  recovering,  and  feeling  stronger 
and  better  every  day,  his  heart  was  as  light  as  a 
boy's,  and  he  had  long  ago  ceased  to  fret  about  the 
loss  of  his  comrades. 

"  We  shall  meet  them  again  sooner  or  later,"  he 
said  to  Tamba,  "and  no  amount  of  worrying  will 
bring  them  to  us  earlier.  Let  us  be  happy  and  con- 
tented, and  make  the  most  of  this  experience.  What 
would  those  at  home  give  to  see  such  forests,  and 
to  live  such  a  life  ?  They  have  no  idea  that  these 
things  exist,  no  thought  of  such  trees  and  such 
flowers  and  fruit." 

The  life  was,  indeed,  an  enchanting  one,  and 
Roger  revelled  in  it.  No  walls  surrounded  him, 
and  he  slept  in  no  stuffy  cabin ;  indeed,  had  he  now 
returned  to  the  brigantine  he  would  have  found  it 
difficult  to  bear  the  closeness  and  heat  of  the  'tween 
decks,  and  would  have  felt  partly  smothered,  just 
as  a  campaigner  does  when  for  the  first  time  for 
many  a  month  he  finds  a  roof  above  his  head,  even 
if  it  be  only  a  canvas  tent.  Then  the  beauty  of  the 
herbage,  the  bright  sun,  and  the  dazzling  flowers 
and  butterflies  delighted  him,  while  the  meals  out-of- 
doors,  when,  if  there  was  meat,  it  was  cooked  over 
a  blazing  wood  fire,  were  a  source  of  real  pleasure. 
Tamba  and  Roger  would  lounge  on  such  occasions 
and  watch  the  steaks  seething  and  spluttering,  till 
the  faithful  native  would  pronounce  them  done  to  a 
turn.  He  would  take  the  wooden  spit  and  thrust  it 
into  the  ground  at  their  feet,  and  would  sit  again, 

132 


The  Hand  of  the  Traitor 

and  wait  for  his  master  to  commence.  Then,  the 
meal  finished,  he  would  look  at  Roger  as  if  to  ask 
his  permission,  and  then  would  produce  his  bag, 
and  presently  would  be  puffing  at  his  tobacco.  It 
was  all  so  new,  so  entrancing,  that  Roger  felt  the 
days  pass  as  if  in  a  dream.  However,  after  a  sump- 
tuous meal  on  that  evening,  they  turned  into  their 
beds,  consisting  of  a  few  leaves  gathered  from  the 
trees,  and  awoke  on  the  following  morning  to  find 
themselves  bivouacked  on  the  fringe  of  the  forest, 
while  to  the  north  of  them  was  open  land,  a  rolling 
stretch  of  green,  broken  in  the  far  distance  by  some 
rugged  mountainous  ranges,  while  far  inland  the 
land  seemed  to  continue  in  a  dead,  yellow  flat, 
devoid  of  all  vegetation. 

"  We  must  go  with  care,"  said  Tamba,  as  the  two 
ate  their  meal  within  the  screen  of  the  trees.  "  That 
is  why  I  lit  the  fire  here  this  morning,  for  otherwise 
the  smoke  would  be  seen.  I  have  watched  for  an 
hour,  and  have  not  been  able  to  find  these  natives 
of  whom  I  spoke.  But  I  have  discovered  the  sea ; 
we  are  within  a  few  leagues  of  it,  and  must  have 
advanced  very  near  to  it." 

He  took  Roger  to  a  slight  eminence,  from  which 
he  could  see  the  ocean,  sparkling  in  the  sun,  and  a 
ship  upon  it. 

"  Spanish,"  said  Roger,  with  decision ;  "  and  a 
galleon.  Is  that  the  one  which  you  say  is  patrolling 
the  coast  ?  " 

"  Who  can  say,  master?  All  ships  are  the  same 
to  me,  except  in  size.  But  I  think  it  is  the  same. 
Her  duty  seems  to  be  to  sail  up  and  down  and 
keep  your  friends  away." 

"  So  that  we  need  not  expect  them  in  three  days, 

133 


Roger  the  Bold 


nor  in  thirty,  so  long  as  the  weather  lasts.  Then  I 
shall  take  longer  over  this  expedition  than  I  had  in- 
tended, and  we  will  see  who  these  natives  were. 
Let  us  take  a  joint  from  the  deer  and  push  on." 

They  were  soon  on  their  way,  Tamba  having 
selected  a  dip  in  the  land  which  promised  to  give 
them  shelter.  Overhead  a  grilling  sun  sailed  in  the 
sky,  while  all  around  was  delightful  green,  freshened 
by  some  recent  rains.  Deer  occasionally  looked  at 
the  intruders  with  curiosity,  bounding  off  long 
before  they  could  get  close  enough  for  a  shot. 

"They  are  wild,  and  yet  their  presence  here 
seems  to  tell  us  that  no  one  else  is  about,"  said 
Roger.  "  What  do  you  say  ?  " 

"  That  we  are  the  only  ones  in  this  part.  I  think 
that  those  natives  whom  I  saw  must  have  been  a 
hunting  party  in  search  of  deer,  for  they  were 
widely  separated,  probably  for  the  purpose  of 
driving  the  beasts  to  a  common  centre.  We  can 
push  on,  therefore,  without  fear  of  being  seen, 
though  it  will  be  wise  to  keep  our  eyes  open." 

"  In  case  of  surprise,"  added  Roger.  "  Yes ;  for 
it  has  suddenly  occurred  to  me  that  if  Fernando 
Cortes  has  been  here  before,  he  and  his  men  will 
have  earned  the  hatred  of 'some,  at  least,  of  the 
natives." 

"  Of  all ! "  exclaimed  Tamba,  passionately.  "They 
come  with  their  guns  and  their  horses,  and  they 
give  fair  promises.  They  speak  of  friendly  treaties 
and  of  their  religion ;  but  behind  it  all  is  greed  for 
gold" 

"  It  is  their  cruel  way,"  answered  Roger.  "  But 
to  return  to  what  I  was  saying — they  will  have 
surely  earned  the  hatred  of  some,  and  were  they 

134 


The  Hand  of  the  Traitor 

to  go  alone  as  we,  they  would  do  so  in  terror  of 
their  lives." 

"  That  is  so,"  admitted  Tamba.  "  In  my  country, 
far  off  in  the  forests  and  in  the  interior,  a  Spaniard 
dared  not  go ;  for  he  knew  that  a  cruel  death 
awaited  him.  Yes,  we  had  become  cruel  in  our 
turn,  though  we  had  formerly  been  quiet  and  peace- 
ful. We  were  driven  to  desperation,  or  rather  to 
despair." 

"  Some  here  may  be  desperate.  They  may  see 
us,  and  then  they  will  think  that  I  am  a  Spaniard." 

Roger  saw  Tamba  shrink  at  the  idea.  His  face 
went  pale,  even  beneath  the  dusk,  while  he  looked 
at  his  master  with  frightened  eyes. 

"You  could  say  that  you  were  not  Spanish, 
my  lord.  You  would  tell  them  that  you  belong  to 
England." 

"What  did  you  know  about  England?"  asked 
Roger,  calmly.  "  Nothing.  Then,  how  will  these 
natives  ?  But  I  am  imagining  a  difficulty.  Let  us 
push  on,  and  trust  to  good  fortune." 

That  night  found  the  two  on  the  edge  of  the 
broad  plain  which  they  had  traversed,  and  approach- 
ing the  range  of  mountains,  which  they  could  now 
see  were  broken  into  many  chains,  and  into  separate 
pinnacles.  They  looked  for  a  suitable  bivouac, 
and  selecting  a  huge  overhanging  rock,  which 
promised  to  keep  the  heavy  dew  away,  they  lit 
their  fire  and  ate  their  meal.  Three  hours  later, 
while  they  slept,  for  they  were  both  worn  out  by 
a  long  day's  march,  a  hundred  dark  figures  sur- 
rounded them,  and  skilful  fingers  drew  their 
weapons  away.  Then  they  were  pounced  upon, 
beaten  heavily,  and  dragged  away  into  the  darkness. 

135 


Roger  the  Bold 


A  bandage  was  tied  firmly  round  their  eyes,  so  that 
they  could  see  nothing,  and  their  limbs  secured 
with  soft  cords.  Then  Roger  felt  himself  lifted  on  to 
the  shoulders  of  four  tall  men — at  least,  he  thought 
that  they  were  tall — and  was  carried  off  at  a  pace 
which  must  have  taxed  the  strength  of  his  bearers. 
Indeed,  he  heard  their  heavy  breathing,  and  remarks 
which  he  thought  referred  to  his  length  and  weight. 

"Prisoners,"  he  thought,  with  a  shudder.  "These 
fellows  will  do  as  I  said,  and  take  me  for  a  Spaniard. 
I  can  expect  little  mercy  from  them,  for  if  we  are 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mexico  many  of  the  in- 
habitants will  have  been  killed.  But  there  is  no 
use  in  bothering.  As  well  prepare  for  the  worst, 
and  rest,  so  as  to  be  fresh  to  bear  what  comes  on 
the  morrow. " 

With  this  philosophic  determination,  he  lay  flat 
on  the  palanquin  on  which  he  had  been  thrown, 
and  presently,  in  spite  of  his  dread  of  the  future, 
fell  fast  asleep;  for  the  bandage  about  his  eyes 
seemed  to  make  him  drowsy.  And,  then,  he  was 
as  yet  not  fully  recovered  from  his  wound,  and 
from  the  weakness  consequent  therefrom,  and  the 
march  had  been  long  and  fatiguing.  How  long  he 
slept  he  never  knew,  but  he  was  awakened  by  a 
blast  of  cold  air,  which  fanned  his  face,  and  by  a 
movement  of  his  bearers.  They  lowered  him  to 
the  ground,  not  roughly,  or  as  if  they  desired  to 
harm  him,  but  with  every  care,  as  if  he  were  some 
person  of  importance.  Then  one  of  them  removed 
the  bandage,  while  the  others  stood  him  upon  his 
feet.  It  was  day ;  the  dawn  had  broken  but  a  few 
minutes  before,  and  the  crest  of  the  sun  was  just 
risen  over  a  mountain  range.  A  cry  escaped  from 

136 


The  Hand  of  the  Traitor 

Roger— a  cry  of  amazement ;  for  down  below  him, 
at  the  end  of  the  long  straggling  track  which  led 
down  from  the  pass  over  which  the  party  had  been 
travelling,  was  a  huge  lake,  nestling  amongst  broken 
mountain  chains  which  did  not  run  to  its  shores, 
but  which  stood  back  from  them,  giving  the  lake 
ample  space.  And  attached  to  this  lake  was  an- 
other, to  the  right  and  a  little  nearer,  while  at 
different  points  along  the  shores  of  both  were 
towns,  huge  clusters  of  houses,  with  towers  as  high 
as  St.  Paul's  in  London,  which  he  knew  so  well, 
towers  which  glistened  and  sparkled  in  the  sun. 
But  that  was  not  all.  The  rugged  mountain  track 
descended  to  the  plain  in  which  lay  the  lakes,  and 
crossed  it  direct  to  a  viaduct,  a  straight  line  some 
two  leagues  in  length,  which  pushed  its  granite 
walls  out  into  the  larger  lake,  to  a  huge  city, 
standing  white  in  the  sun,  and  showing  a  hundred 
and  more  towers.  Other  viaducts  cut  off  from  it 
here  and  there,  while  he  could  see  dots  moving  on 
the  water.  What  a  scene !  Who  could  paint  it  ? 
For  the  walls  of  the  houses  reflected  the  rays, 
while  a  dazzling  light  played  upon  the  sides  of  the 
numerous  towers,  and  upon  their  summits.  But 
all  was  not  white,  for  on  nearly  every  flat  roof  the 
red  and  blue  and  dazzling  pink  of  gorgeous  flowers 
was  given  back,  while  gardens  lay  on  either  side 
of  this  lake  city,  seeming,  as  was  actually  the  fact, 
to  float  on  the  water.  In  a  flash  it  came  to  Roger's 
mind  that  this  city,  those  viaducts,  and  those  tiny 
boats  were  true  to  the  plan  which  was  engraved  on 
the  golden  disc,  now  in  the  possession  of  Alvarez. 
The  scene  was  stupendous.  The  wonder  of  it  took 
his  breath  away,  while  he  was  amazed  at  the 

137 


Roger  the  Bold 


thought  that  he  was  so  soon  within  sight  of  the 
goal  for  which  the  brigantine  had  sailed. 

"  Mexico  !  Mexico  ! "  he  almost  shouted.  "  The 
city  for  which  we  were  bound." 
j-'  There  was  no  answer.  For  a  few  minutes  the 
natives  allowed  him  to  feast  his  eyes  upon  the  sight. 
Then  they  put  the  bandage  about  his  head  again, 
and  lifted  him  on  to  the  litter.  He  was  raised  on 
to  their  shoulders,  and  they  set  off  at  a  run  down 
the  slope.  Presently  they  were  crossing  the  viaduct, 
and  when  at  length  Roger  was  permitted  to  look 
again,  he  found  that  his  bonds  were  being  removed, 
and  that  he  and  Tamba  sat  side  by  side  in  an  enor- 
mous wooden  cage,  placed  in  the  centre  of  a  square 
of  huge  dimensions,  and  close  alongside  another 
cage  of  similar  arrangement,  in  which  were  some 
two  hundred  other  prisoners. 

What  would  have  been  his  feelings  had  he 
known  that  he  was  in  the  heart  of  the  city  of  Mexico, 
the  fairest  city  of  those  times,  the  fairest  city  that 
has  ever  been,  and  that  this  cage  in  which  he  found 
himself  was  in  the  courtyard  of  the  chief  temple, 
a  prison  kept  for  the  purpose  of  holding  captives 
destined  for  the  sacrifice.  Yes ;  that  was  the 
custom  of  the  Mexicans.  They  practised  human 
sacrifice,  as  many  a  Spaniard  was  to  know  to  his 
cost,  and  they  kept  ready  at  hand  a  number  of 
wretched  prisoners  who  were  doomed  to  end  their 
lives  on  the  summit  of  the  greatest  temple. 

When  Roger  learned  the  news  the  terror  of  it 
almost  unmanned  him,  and  he  sank  helpless  upon 
his  knees. 


138 


CHAPTER  VIII 
A  City  by  the  Water 

FOR  many  weeks  Roger  de  Luce  had  longed  to 
see  the  city  of  Mexico,  though  it  was  a  much 
shorter  time  since  he  had  learned  that  that  was  the 
name  of  the  place  depicted  upon  the  golden  disc 
which  had  come  into  Peter  Tamworth's  hands.  He 
had  looked  forward  to  beholding  this  quaint  place, 
erected  in  the  middle  of  a  lake,  surrounded,  in  fact, 
by  water,  and  approached  by  one  or  more  cause- 
ways. He  had  never  dreamed  that  his  ambition 
would  so  soon  be  gratified,  nor  was  he  so  vastly 
pleased  now  that  he  had  come  to  this  spot,  reputed 
to  hold  a  store  of  treasure.  Indeed,  there  are  few 
who  could  look  upon  the  prospects  which  now 
faced  him  with  a  cheerful  face,  for  it  was  not  long 
before  he  learned  that  the  solid  wooden  bars  of  his 
cage  were  wont  to  hold  captives — captives  kept  for 
the  day  of  sacrifice.  The  thought  was  horrible, 
but  the  fact  was  true,  for  daily  men  were  extracted 
from  the  other  cage,  and  taken  to  the  summit  of  the 
temple. 

Let  us  leave  our  friend  Roger  in  this  predica- 
ment for  a  little  while,  discussing  the  position  with 
his  faithful  Tamba,  while  we  ascertain  the  move- 
ments of  that  gallant  and  astute  leader  known  as 

139 


Roger  the  Bold 

Fernando    Cortes,   and   the    reasons   and    objects 
which  had  brought  him  to  this  Terra  Firma. 

The  reader  will  recollect  that  mention  has  been 
made  of  the  voyages  of  discovery  made  by  the 
Portuguese,  mostly  to  Africa,  voyages  which  taught 
the  Regent  of  the  country  that  there  were  islands 
such  as  Madeira  and  the  Canaries,  and  which,  if 
they  did  nothing  else,  brought  a  few  slaves  back  to 
the  shores  of  Portugal.  Indeed,  the  first  success 
of  these  expeditions  led  to  a  ghastly  human  traffic 
which  accounted  in  later  years  for  an  importation 
of  some  thousand  slaves  per  annum.  But  the  Por- 
tuguese were  not  the  first  to  display  some  curiosity 
in  outside  conditions,  to  investigate  other  parts,  for 
the  voyages  accomplished  by  them,  and  those  of 
Columbus,  were  merely  links  in  a  long  chain  of 
adventurous  enterprises  by  sea  which  commenced 
centuries  before,  and  have  not  ceased  even  at  this 
date.  Indeed,  the  East,  the  Far  East,  had  been  known 
of  for  very  many  years,  while  the  Phoenicians,  the 
Greeks,  and  the  Carthaginians  had  sent  their  vessels 
out  till  the  coasts  of  Southern  Europe  and  Asia  were 
known,  as  well  as  the  northern  coast  of  Africa. 
After  these  heroes  came  the  Roman  Empire,  and 
we  have  little,  if  any,  more  information  of  discoveries 
till  the  beginning  of  the  twelfth  century,  when 
there  was  renewed  activity  amongst  the  maritime 
peoples.  In  fact,  the  twelfth,  thirteenth,  fourteenth, 
and  fifteenth  centuries  constitute  what  is  known  as 
the  "  age  of  discovery,"  and  of  these  the  fifteenth 
century,  with  the  earlier  portion  of  the  following 
one,  was  certainly  the  most  productive  of  dis- 
coveries. And  it  is  a  curious  coincidence  that  while 
men's  minds  were  turned  to  foreign  parts,  to  the 

140 


A  City  by  the  Water 

effort  to  obtain  knowledge  of  foreign  peoples 
and  affairs,  there  should  have  been  a  revival  in 
other  matters.  The  arts  and  sciences  made  head- 
way during  these  centuries,  while  religious  feeling 
revived,  and  enormous  exertions  were  made  to 
Christianize  the  heathen.  In  fact,  Christianity  was 
widely  spread  by  the  end  of  the  twelfth  and  thir- 
teenth centuries,  while  a  bitter  war  was  being  waged 
against  the  Saracens,  who  dominated  Africa  and 
the  Mediterranean,  keeping  Genoa  and  Venice  in 
check,  while  their  armies  conquered  Spain,  and 
even  invaded  France.  But  the  energies,  of  these 
intrepid  warriors  were  not  confined  to  war  alone, 
for  they  sought  for  commerce,  and  there  is  little 
doubt  but  that  they  were  acquainted  with  the  Red 
Sea,  with  the  east  coast  of  Africa  as  far  as  Mada- 
gascar, and  with  much  of  the  west  coast  of  the 
same  continent.  But  their  knowledge  was  obtained 
for  the  most  part  not  by  voyages,  but  by  overland 
routes,  so  that  the  interior,  perhaps,  rather  than  the 
coast-line  was  known. 

In  course  of  time  these  Saracens  were  beaten 
back  by  the  tide  of  Christian  chivalry,  and  then  we 
find  the  Genoese  prospecting  voyages,  in  which 
they  explored  the  Atlantic  border  of  Africa,  and 
wondered  whether  a  passage  existed  to  the  due 
west  by  means  of  which  they  could  reach  India,  the 
Far  East. 

And  now  we  come  to  that  period,  extending  over 
some  sixty  years,  during  which  the  Portuguese  sent 
expeditions  south  along  the  west  coast  of  Africa. 
These  voyages,  at  first  productive  of  only  a  few 
slaves,  and  later  of  a  huge  traffic  in  these  unhappy 
victims  of  their  raids,  finally  ended  in  the  wonderful 

141 


Roger  the  Bold 


achievement  of  Bartolomeo  Diaz,  who  rounded  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope  in  1485.  Ten  years  later  the 
intrepid  Vasco  de  Gama  doubled  this  cape,  and 
sailed  along  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa  to  Durban, 
and  from  there  to  India  itself,  thus  proving  the 
existence  of  the  huge  continent  of  Africa,  and  the 
possibility  of  a  passage  to  the  Far  East  by  way  of 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

However,  this  was  not  that  due  westerly  route 
which  philosophers  and  wise  men  spoke  of,  which 
tradition  almost  laid  down  as  a  fact,  and  the 
adventurous  nations  still  pondered,  still  wondered 
whether  it  existed.  Even  in  England  the  subject 
was  as  much  in  the  minds  of  our  sailors  as  in  those 
of  Portugal  and  Spain,  and  many  a  ship  put  out 
from  Bristol  intent  on  its  discovery.  But  the 
attempt  always  ended  in  failure,  for,  after  steering 
to  the  west  for  two  weeks,  perhaps,  the  mariners 
would  fancy  that  they  were  on  the  wrong  track, 
and  would  make  some  other  course,  finally  return- 
ing disappointed  to  Bristol. 

But  the  Spaniards  succeeded  in  discovering  land 
to  the  west,  if  none  others  had  done  so,  for  in  1494 
Vicente  Pinzon,  with  Americo  Vespucci,  put  out 
for  the  west,  and  came  upon  Brazil,  the  River 
Amazon,  and  the  coast  of  South  America.  It  was 
thought  that  the  East  Indies  had  been  found,  that 
the  western  passage  had  been  hit  upon,  for  no  one 
dreamed  that  the  huge  continent  of  America  inter- 
vened. And  it  was  not  till  later,  till  after  Columbus's 
later  voyages,  and  the  discovery  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  the  rounding  of  Cape  Horn  by  Magal- 
haes,  that  the  full  significance  of  the  new  land  was 
understood.  Then,  owing  to  an  error,  by  which 

142 


A  City  by  the  Water 

Americo  Vespucci  was  thought  to  be  the  commander 
of  the  expedition  which  fell  in  with  Brazil,  the  whole 
continent  was  given  the  title  which  it  now  bears. 

The  description  of  these  voyages  brings  us  at 
length  to  that  first  one  of  Columbus,  a  doughty 
sailor  who  had  often  taken  part  in  the  Portuguese 
trips  along  the  west  coast  of  Africa.  He  was,  in 
fact,  in  the  service  of  Portugal,  and  this  theory  of 
a  western  passage  must  often  have  been  pondered 
on  during  the  voyages  he  made  in  that  service.  At 
length  it  grew  into  a  firm  belief,  and  he  went  to 
Henry  of  Portugal  with  the  desire  that  he  might 
be  offered  the  command  of  an  expedition.  But  this 
was  not  the  wish  of  the  Portuguese,  for  were  they 
to  discover  this  western  passage  they  could  not  keep 
it  to  themselves,  while  the  coast  of  Africa,  which 
they  had  found,  and  had  commenced  to  colonize, 
was  theirs  by  right,  and  could  not  so  easily  be 
usurped.  Columbus  therefore  received  no  encour- 
agement, and  in  despair  sent  his  appeal  to  the  court 
of  Spain,  and  to  Henry  the  Seventh  of  England. 
Accident  alone  placed  him  in  the  service  of  Spain, 
for  when  at  length  the  message  reached  him  from 
England,  ordering  him  to  attend  the  court,  an 
arrangement  had  been  come  to  with  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella  of  Spain.  Thereafter  preparations  were 
made  for  the  voyage,  and  on  August  3,  1492,  he 
set  sail.  It  is  needless  to  tell  of  his  progress,  to 
relate  how,  after  sailing  for  some  three  weeks,  he 
still  saw  nothing  but  sea  about  him,  and  how  his 
men  desired  him  to  return,  believing  that  were  they 
to  sail  over  the  horizon  there  would  be  no  escape, 
and  no  power  of  getting  back  to  their  native  land. 
Then  they  found  themselves  surrounded  by  a  mass 

143 


Roger  the  Bold 


of  seaweed,  extending  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
and  through  which  they  slowly  cleaved  their  way. 
At  length,  after  a  voyage  of  thirty-six  days,  land 
was  sighted,  and  after  three  months  the  bold  mari- 
ners returned  with  the  information  that  they  had 
discovered  an  island,  and  a  continent  near  at  hand. 
This  island,  now  known  as  Hayti,  or  San  Domingo, 
was  called  Hispaniola,  while  the  adjacent  country, 
thought  by  Columbus,  to  the  day  of  his  death,  to 
be  part  of  a  continent,  proved  to  be  an  island,  and 
was  called  Cuba. 

Thereafter  this  fine  sailor  made  three  voyages, 
discovering  the  northern  coast  of  South  America  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Trinidad.  He  had  come  to 
the  Indies,  he  thought — to  Earthly  Paradise,  as  he 
called  the  land— never  suspecting  that  this  was  a 
new  and  undiscovered  world,  and  that  Vicente 
Pinzon's  voyage,  together  with  that  of  Magalhaes's 
rounding  of  the  southern  cape,  would  prove  it  to 
be  part  of  a  mighty  continent,  then  peopled  by  a 
dusky  race,  but  hereafter  to  form  a  home  for  new 
nations  of  white  and  coloured  men. 

The  reader  can  imagine  how  the  tale  of  this  dis- 
covery fired  the  people  of  Spain,  and  engrafted  in 
the  minds  of  all,  in  that  of  old  and  young  alike,  a 
longing  for  new  fields^  for  adventure  in  these 
foreign  parts.  For  Columbus  told  of  a  friendly 
people,  of  gorgeous  scenery  and  herbage,  and  of 
pearls  in  abundance.  What  wonder  if  thousands 
clamoured  to  follow !  Spain  was  at  peace,  and  there 
was  no  other  outlet  for  the  spirit  of  chivalry  with 
which  her  young  men  were  filled.  So  an  expedition 
was  arranged,  and  Ojeda  commanded  it.  But  he 
fell  out  with  the  natives  and  fought  with  them,  so 

H4 


A  City  by  the  Water 

that  when  other  voyagers  came  they  met  too  often 
with  the  reverse  of  a  welcome. 

It  would  be  tedious  to  detail  the  names  of  all  the 
adventurous  dons  who  followed,  to  tell  how  Cristobal 
Guerra  and  Alonso  Nino  came  directly  on  Ojeda's 
heels,  and  how,  with  more  discretion  and  percep- 
tion, they  took  pains  to  do  as  Columbus  had  done, 
making  friends  with  the  natives.  From  the  latter 
they  obtained  for  paltry  wares  an  abundance  of 
pearls,  all  of  which  had  come  from  the  pearl  fisheries 
close  at  hand,  these  lying  at  an  island  which  was  so 
sterile  that  the  natives  did  not  inhabit  it.  By  name 
Cabagua,  it,  of  course,  formed  a  great  attraction  to 
the  Spaniards,  and  when  the  tale  of  their  success 
came  with  them  to  Spain,  and  these  adventurers 
carried  their  stores  of  pearls  ashore,  as  if  they  were 
so  many  pebbles,  the  fame  of  their  undertaking 
went  through  the  breadth  of  the  land.  Thousands 
clamoured  to  follow,  so  that  ere  very  long  this  island 
was  colonized,  a  town  being  built  there,  and  named 
"New  Cadiz."  Thus  we  find  Spaniards  on  the 
mainland,  or  within  a  very  little  distance  of  it.  Nor 
was  it  long  before  La  Casas  and  others  followed, 
all  with  the  one  thought  of  making  a  fortune. 

Some  were  content  to  accomplish  this  purpose 
by  hard  work  at  the  fisheries,  but  others  soon  took 
to  another  trade,  and  commenced  to  hunt  for  slaves. 
It  cannot  be  a  matter  of  wonder  to  the  reader  to 
hear  that  these  fiends  in  the  end  provoked  a  peace- 
ful group  of  natives,  for  along  the  thousands  of 
leagues  of  the  pearl  coast  there  were  numerous 
races  and  tribes,  many  of  them  of  sufficient  numbers 
to  be  designated  nations.  They  turned,  and  many 
a  Spanish  soldier  and  monk  paid  the  penalty. 

(B  566)  146  K 


Roger  the  Bold 


But  this  portion  of  the  northern  coast  of  South 
America  hardly  concerns  us,  though  its  discovery 
directly  led  up  to  farther  wanderings,  to  more 
voyages  of  discovery,  and  to  the  finding  of  Yucatan, 
of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  and  finally  to  the  dis- 
covery by  the  intrepid  Vasco  Nunez  de  Bilbao  of 
the  Southern  Sea,  the  wide  Pacific ;  for  this  man 
actually  accomplished  the  journey  across  the  Isth- 


MAP  OF  PART  OF  MEXICO. 

mus  of  Panama,  and  reached  the  farther  coast,  where 
he  learned  vaguely  of  the  wonders  of  Peru,  of  a 
country  where  natives  lived  in  stone  houses,  and 
in  cities ;  where  there  was  a  well-ordered  govern- 
ment with  a  king,  and  where,  as  was  afterwards 
discovered  during  the  conquest  of  these  Peruvians, 
a  system  of  roads  existed  than  which  there  has 
never  been  anything  finer.  Indeed,  an  inspection 

146 


A  City  by  the  Water 

of  what  remains  of  these  coast  roads  to-day  shows 
that  they  were  excellently  engineered,  that  they 
were  composed  of  tough  concrete  which  still  holds 
together,  while  bridges  connected  the  road  across 
the  rivers.  More  than  that,  by  a  system  of  couriers, 
stationed  at  close  intervals  of  some  forty  yards,  it 
was  possible  to  send  a  verbal  message  over  the 
road  at  a  swift  rate,  the  couriers  running  their  forty 
yards  and  handing  on  the  message.  And  that  same 
message  could  thus  be  transmitted  for  a  distance  of 
a  thousand  miles. 

However,  Peru  even  does  not  conern  us,  for  it 
is  to  Mexico  that  we  turn,  to  the  northern  portion 
of  the  long  isthmus  which  connects  North  to  South 
America,  and  is  spoken  of  in  these  days  as  Central 
America. 

The  great  Fernando  Cortes  set  sail  from  Santiago, 
in  Cuba,  on  November  18,  1518,  his  banner  bearing 
a  coloured  cross  on  a  black  background,  with  flames 
showing  here  and  there,  and  an  inscription  in  Latin 
beneath,  which  read,  "  Let  us  follow  the  Cross,  and 
in  that  sign  we  shall  conquer." 

He  sailed  with  an  armament  of  five  hundred  and 
fifty  Spaniards,  two  or  three  hundred  Indians,  a  few 
negroes,  twelve  or  fifteen  horses,  ten  brass  guns,  and 
some  falconets.  Touching  at  Trinidad,  he  then  went 
to  the  island  of  Cosumel,  near  the  north-eastern 
point  of  Yucatan,  where  he  was  so  fortunate  to  come 
upon  the  survivor  of  a  crew  of  Spaniards  who  had 
been  wrecked,  and  who,  having  lived  with  the 
natives  for  very  long,  spoke  their  language  fluently. 
In  this  manner  an  excellent  interpreter  was  obtained. 

Fernando  then  set  his  prow  for  the  west,  and 
came  to  Tabasco,  where  he  landed,  and  encountering 

147 


Roger  the  Bold 

resistance  from  the  natives,  fought  a  great  battle, 
defeating  his  enemy.  But  Tabasco  was  not  the 
country  for  which  he  aimed,  and  it  was  the  ambition 
of  this  leader  to  go  farther  north,  to  discover  new 
lands,  and  to  find  wealth.  Nor  was  he  destined  to 
be  disappointed,  for  the  Tabascans  could  tell  tales 
of  other  countries,  tales  which  had  come  to  their 
ears,  and  there  was  one  amongst  them  who  had 
lived  in  the  provinces  of  a  country  which  paid 
tribute  to  Mexico.  This  person  was  a  female  slave, 
by  name  Marina,  and  she  was  given,  together  with 
others,  to  the  Spaniards  after  their  victory.  Thus 
Cortes,  almost  at  the  very  commencement  of  his 
voyage,  found  himself  in  possession  of  a  Spaniard 
able  to  converse  with  the  Mexicans,  and  of  a  woman 
slave  of  rare  intelligence,  and,  as  was  to  be  after- 
wards proved,  of  the  utmost  loyalty  to  her  new 
masters,  who  could  make  up  for  any  deficiencies  of 
the  Spaniard. 

With  this  success  to  encourage  him,  Cortes 
embarked  again,  and  set  sail  for  the  north,  arriving 
at  a  portion  of  the  coast  opposite  to  Mexico,  which 
lay  some  little  distance  inland,  hidden  by  its  en- 
circling mountains,  and  to  which  he  gave  the  name 
of  St.  Juan  de  Ulua.  Here  he  met  with  a  friendly 
reception  from  the  natives,  and  very  shortly  received 
in  audience  two  gorgeous  officers  who  had  been 
sent  by  the  great  king  Montezuma,  the  lord  of 
Mexico. 

To  all  the  expressed  wishes  of  the  Spaniards  for 
a  permit  to  go  to  the  city  of  Mexico  this  Montezuma 
returned  evasive  replies,  and  finally  forbade  them  to 
come.  And  on  every  occasion  on  which  he  sent  his 
envoys  they  came  to  Cortes  laden  with  gold  and 

148 


A  City  by  the  Water 

jewels,  and  with  feathered  cloaks,  all  gifts  to  the 
Spaniards,  a  mark  of  the  king's  high  favour.  Had 
he  sent  anything  else,  or  words  alone,  he  would 
have  done  much  better,  and  perhaps  the  history  of 
Mexico  would  be  vastly  different  to-day ;  for  Cortes 
and  his  company  had  a  quicker  eye  and  a  readier 
ear  for  riches  and  tales  of  riches,  of  gold  and  jewels, 
than  they  had  for  lands,  for  peoples  as  yet  undis- 
covered. They  were  tempted,  and  this  refusal  to 
allow  them  to  proceed  acted  rather  as  a  spur  than 
as  a  deterrent.  Cortes  was  not  the  man  to  be 
baulked  by  any  one,  and  certainly  not  by  a  native, 
even  if  he  were  a  king.  He  was  ambitious,  as  has 
been  said,  decisive  and  bold,  and,  in  addition,  was  of 
a  dogged  disposition.  He  had  come  to  discover,  to 
gain  new  lands  for  the  king,  his  master,  and  he 
would  not  be  deterred  by  a  native.  Had  he  known 
the  warlike  disposition  of  the  Mexicans,  and  the 
armies  which  they  and  their  allies  were  able  to  put 
into  the  field,  it  is  possible  that  he  would  have  hastily 
embarked  again,  and  sailed  for  Hispaniola  or  Cuba, 
with  a  view  to  gathering  fresh  forces.  But  there 
was  more  than  doggedness  and  sheer  contrariness 
as  a  cause  for  his  determination  to  go  to  the  city 
of  Mexico ;  for  it  happened  that  Cortes  had  many 
enemies — so  many,  in  fact,  that  though  the  command 
had  been  given  to  him,  Velazques  would  have  taken 
it  from  him  within  a  day  or  two,  and,  indeed,  sent  a 
messenger  with  instructions  that  Cortes  was  to  be 
recalled.  However,  this  was  not  what  this  gallant 
leader  wanted,  and  he  evaded  the  summons  and 
proceeded  to  the  coast  of  New  Spain.  To  return 
now  unsuccessful  would  mean  not  alone  the  loss  of 
command,  but  much  more.  Indeed,  Cortes  had 

149 


Roger  the  Bold 

disobeyed  the  orders  of  those  in  authority,  so  that 
to  gain  his  own  pardon  it  was  necessary  for  him 
to  make  some  conquest,  and  to  establish  his  right 
to  lead.  Therefore,  in  spite  of  the  numbers  opposed 
to  him,  numbers  which  he  learned  were  big,  but  the 
proportions  of  which  he  never  even  guessed  at,  he 
decided  to  push  on  for  Mexico,  and  conquer  the 
country  if  that  were  possible.  We  shall  see  how 
he  fared  in  this  adventure,  and  how  the  very  fact  of 
his  being  a  white  man  aided  him  ;  also  how  circum- 
stances played  into  his  hands,  so  as  to  render  him 
the  utmost  help.  But  Roger  de  Luce  is  still  in  his 
cage,  and  we  will  return  to  him. 

"  I  have  been  speaking  with  one  of  the  prisoners," 
said  Tamba,  some  little  while  after  Roger  had 
awakened,  and  had  looked  about  him  with  curious 
eyes.  "Our  tongue  is  somewhat  like  his,  but  he 
also  speaks  Spanish.  He  is  one  of  the  allies  of 
these  men  who  came  to  Cuba,  and  he  was  captured 
in  a  battle  which  took  place  a  little  while  ago." 

"  Then  the  Spanish  under  Fernando  Cortes  are 
here ! "  exclaimed  Roger,  in  some  astonishment,  for 
this  was  the  first  intimation  he  had  had  of  that  fact. 
"  Did  you  ask  how  long  they  had  been  in  Mexico, 
and  what  success  they  had  had  ?  " 

"  They  were  here  some  months,  and  have  been 
gone  a  little  while,  my  lord,"  was  the  answer.  "  The 
Mexicans  rose,  and  drove  them  out.  Now  they  are 
awaiting  their  return." 

"And  will  they  submit?"  demanded  Roger, 
anxiously.  "  For  then  we  shall  become  captives  of 
the  Spaniards,  and  that  would  be  worse  even  than 
this." 

There  was  a  doubting  look  in  Tamba's  eyes,  and 

150 


A  City  by  the  Water 

for  a  little  while  he  hesitated  whether  to  tell  his 
young  master  of  the  critical  position  in  which  they 
were.  At  length  he  summoned  courage,  and  spoke. 

"  To  be  a  Spanish  captive  again  could  hardly  be 
worse  than  our  fate  now,"  he  said  softly.  "  My  lord 
is  now  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  Mexicans,  and 
he  knows  nothing  of  these  people,  save  that  they 
live  in  the  centre  of  a  lake.  He  does  not  know  of 
their  cruelty,  and  of  their  wicked  practices." 

Roger  was  entirely  ignorant,  to  speak  the  truth, 
and,  more  than  that,  was  amazed  at  the  size  of 
Mexico,  and  the  huge  numbers  of  people  he  saw 
about  when  he  looked  down  from  the  pass,  and  the 
fine  houses  in  which  they  lived.  Till  then  he  had 
hardly  expected  the  natives  in  this  new  part  to  be 
much  different  from  those  to  be  seen  in  Cuba.  But  he 
was  to  learn  much  in  the  next  few  hours,  and  before 
he  departed  from  Mexico  was  to  know  that  these 
Aztecs  were  in  many  ways  highly  civilized,  prac- 
tising many  of  the  higher  arts  and  crafts,  learned  in 
picture  writing,  and  able  engineers.  Alongside  these 
attainments,  Roger  learned  that  they  had  certain 
practices  which  were  strangely  incongruous  in  a 
people  so  advanced  in  civilization,  and  that  the 
nation,  from  the  highest  downwards,  was  swayed  by 
the  cruellest  superstitions  and  religious  rites.  He 
was  now  to  hear  of  one  of  the  latter. 

"  Their  wicked  practices  ! "  he  gasped.  "  What 
do  you  mean  ?  They  looked  peaceful  enough,  and 
rather  melancholy,  I  thought.  What  are  these 
practices  ?" 

"  The  sacrifice,  master,"  said  Tamba,  mournfully. 
"These  Mexicans  have  many  gods  to  whom  they 
look,  and  whom  they  seek  to  appease,  some  with 

151 


Roger  the  Bold 


gifts  of  meat  and  cereals,  others  with  the  sacrifice  of 
animals,  while  there  is  one  in  particular,  the  mighty 
war  god,  named  Huitzilopochtli,  to  whom  they  offer 
men." 

"  Men!  They  sacrifice  human  beings!"  exclaimed 
Roger,  in  disgust  and  dismay.  "Then  we " 

"  Are  reserved  for  that  fate ;  and  all  these  others, 
master.  They  will  kill  us  so  that  we  may  bring 
fortune  to  them  in  their  wars,  and  aid  them  against 
the  Spaniards." 

"Then  they  take  us  for  enemies  instead  of 
friends,"  said  Roger,  quickly.  "  They  think,  perhaps, 
that  we  are  Spaniards  in  Cortes's  band,  and  therefore 
will  be  more  than  ever  inclined  to  kill  us." 

"They  say  that  we  are  a  portion  of  these 
invaders,  and  that  we  must  die.  The  man  with 
whom  I  spoke  told  me  that.  He  says  that  we  may 
be  summoned  at  any  time,  and  that  they  will  drag 
us  to  this  war  god.  It  is  a  horrible  thought !  " 

Roger  looked  about  him  as  if  in  a  dream.  He 
was  stupefied  and  stunned  by  the  awful  news  which 
Tamba  had  given  him ;  for  though  he  had  by  now 
met  danger  boldly  and  without  flinching,  and  had 
risked  his  life  in  the  encounters  with  the  Spaniards, 
yet  this  cruel  fate  undermined  his  courage.  He 
was  ready  to  die  when  the  time  came,  but  to  be 
held  down,  perhaps,  and  then  slaughtered  like  a 
sheep,  was  too  horrible.  The  thought  unmanned 
him,  and  for  a  little  while  he  sank  on  his  knees, 
his  face  buried  in  his  hands.  Then  he  gradually 
recovered  his  composure  and  looked  about  him, 
his  eye  turning  to  the  prisoners  in  the  second 
cage.  There  were  at  least  two  hundred  of  them, 
and  he  was  astounded  to  find  that  they  were 

152 


A  City  by  the  Water 

chatting  contentedly  together,  some  even  laughing 
and  joking.  Was  the  same  fate  reserved  for  them  ? 
He  turned  and  asked  Tamba  the  question. 

"The  same,  my  lord,"  was  the  calm  answer. 
"  But  these  men  look  upon  it  in  a  different  way. 
Thousands  die  here  every  year  for  the  sake  of  the 
gods,  and  death  in  that  manner  is  an  honour.  I 
have  asked  this  man,  and  he  said  that  their  religion 
teaches  them  that  to  be  sacrificed  gives  instant 
admission  to  the  region  of  the  sun,  where  they  live 
happily  afterwards.  As  to  the  death,  it  is  swift  and 
sure,  and  the  deed  is  soon  done.  Fear  not,  master, 
for  it  may  not  come  to  that.  Perhaps  they  will 
believe  that  you  are  no  Spaniard." 

It  was  poor  consolation,  but  Roger  had  to  make 
the  most  of  it.  He  sat  for  a  long  while  thinking  the 
matter  over,  and  when  a  few  hours  had  gone,  was 
himself  again,  prepared  to  face  the  executioners, 
should  it  come  to  that.  But  the  native  prisoners 
amazed  him.  True,  all  these  Aztecs  had  a  melan- 
choly cast  of  countenance,  but  a  glance  at  their 
faces  showed  that  the  doom  awaiting  them  made 
little  impression,  and  did  not  weigh  on  their  minds. 
They  were  resigned  and  happy.  Later  on  he  learned 
that  throughout  the  land  of  Mexico  these  sacrifices 
were  carried  on,  and  that  at  the  lowest  computation 
twenty  thousand  men  died  on  the  sacrificial  altars 
during  the  year.  The  people  were  held  fast  in  the 
chains  of  a  cruel  religious  despotism,  and  bowed 
themselves  in  abject  resignation.  They  saw  their 
finest  children,  their  sons  and  their  firstborn  torn 
from  them,  and  acquiesced  because  their  super- 
stitions bade  them  do  so.  It  was  a  horrible  con- 
dition of  affairs,  and  cruel  though  the  Spaniards 

153 


Roger  the  Bold 


were,  their  coming  was  a  boon  to  the  country, 
though  it  broke  up  the  Aztec  races.  However,  we 
are  anticipating,  and  will  return  to  Roger. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  there  Was  a  stir  in  the 
huge  quadrangle  in  which  the  cages  were  built,  and 
attendants  came  with  food  for  the  captives.  Then 
a  mass  of  people  began  to  filter  into  the  square,  and 
amongst  them  some  who  were  dressed  in  black 
robes,  and  wore  their  hair  in  long  tangled  wreaths 
about  their  necks  and  faces.  They  were  ugly- 
looking  fellows,  and  Roger  shuddered  as  he  looked 
at  them. 

"The  priests,"  whispered  Tamba,  "and  that" — 
pointing  to  one  clad  in  scarlet-^"  is  the  head  of  all, 
the  one  who  performs  the  sacrifice.  They  are 
coming  towards  us." 

"Then  we  will  fight  till  we  are  killed!  Sooner 
that  than  be  butchered.  Let  us  look  for  a  weapon, 
Tamba,  and  then  we  will  set  these  fellows  at 
defiance." 

He  sprang  to  his  feet  and  searched  the  cage,  but 
there  was  nothing  to  help  him.  He  and  Tamba  had 
long  since  been  deprived  of  their  weapons,  while 
the  floor  of  the  cage  was  bare,  and  it  would  have 
required  an  axe  to  sever  one  of  the  stout  bars. 
Opposition  was  out  of  the  question,  and  Roger 
promptly  realized  it.  He  faced  round  and  watched 
the  priests  as  they  advanced,  looking  them  unflinch- 
ingly in  the  face.  Then  his  eye  turned  to  some 
half-dozen  other  men  who  walked  behind  the  men 
in  black  and  scarlet,  gorgeously  dressed  in  feathered 
cloaks  and  light  golden  armour,  while  their  heads 
were  covered,  some  with  carved  wooden  helmets, 
made  to  represent  the  heads  of  birds,  while  others 

154 


A  City  by  the  Water 

had  plumes  in  their  hair.  But  all  displayed  many 
golden  bangles  and  neck-chains,  and  their  head- 
dress and  many  parts  of  their  armour  and  their 
weapons  were  encrusted  with  jewels.  Then  the 
tale  was  true.  Mexico  was  filled  with  riches  !  But 
Roger  had  no  time  to  give  a  thought  to  that  now, 
for  the  procession  had  reached  the  cage.  It  halted 
outside,  and  two  of  the  priests  entered  and  said 
something  in  soft  tones. 

"  We  don't  understand,"  said  Roger,  in  English. 
"  We  are  not  Spaniards,  and  we  want  to  know  why 
you  have  placed  us  in  this  cage.  We  are  not  wild 
beasts,  and  are  ready  to  be  friendly." 

It  was  hopeless.  The  priest  merely  shook  his 
head  and  beckoned  to  them. 

"  Try  him  with  your  tongue,  Tamba,"  said  Roger, 
in  desperation.  "  Ah,  I  remember  that  you  said 
you  could  not  make  them  understand.  I  will  try 
Spanish." 

"We  have  nothing  to  do  with  your  enemies,"  he 
said  sternly,  standing  to  his  full  height.  "  We  wish 
you  no  harm.  Let  us  have  an  interpreter,  and  we 
will  explain." 

Again  he  met  with  failure,  while  the  priest  still 
beckoned  politely,  and  answered  in  soft  tones. 
Roger  looked  about  him  desperately,  and  noticed 
that  the  other  priests  had  now  entered  the  cage, 
and  had  taken  up  their  places  near  at  hand.  He 
measured  them  with  his  eye,  and  wondered 
whether  he  could  kill  them  all  if  he  fell  upon 
them.  Then  he  recollected  the  crowd  outside,  and 
pondered. 

"  Shall  we  go  or  stay  ?  "  he  demanded  of  Tamba. 
"  We  could  clear  these  fellows  out  of  this  and  bar 


Roger  the  Bold 


the  door.  Then  they  would  be  unable  to  get  at  us. 
Anything  rather  than  be  sacrificed." 

"  Perhaps  that  is  not  their  wish,  master,"  answered 
Tamba,  "  They  speak  softly  to  us,  and  there  is  no 
harshness.  Supposing  we  went,  deciding  to  resist 
only  when  they  attempt  to  lay  hands  on  us  or  to 
lash  us.  For  to  drive  them  from  the  cage  and  hold 
it  would  merely  mean  that  they  would  shoot  clouds 
of  arrows  at  us.  You  can  see  their  bows." 

Roger  looked,  and  saw  that  every  man  in  the 
assembled  throng  carried  a  small  bow  and  a  quiver 
of  arrows,  while  many  also  had  a  long  club-shaped 
weapon  thrust  into  belts  about  their  waists.  This 
was  their  sword,  called  the  "  maquahuitl,"  and  con- 
sisted of  a  stick  some  three  and  a  half  feet  long, 
about  four  inches  thick  at  the  biggest  end,  and  was 
armed  on  either  side  with  small  blades  of  obsidian, 
a  stone  of  extreme  hardness,  and  capable  of  taking 
a  razor  edge.  Indeed,  these  weapons  could  give  a 
terrible  wound,  though  the  first  stroke,  if  it  met 
Spanish  armour,  was  apt  to  break  the  stone,  when 
the  weapon  became  an  ordinary  club.  In  addition, 
others  of  the  crowd  carried  lances,  and  a  few  slings, 
with  a  bag  of  stones  about  their  shoulders.  All  were 
dressed  in  linen  garments,  which  were  clean  and 
well  made.  It  was  obvious  that  resistance  at  this 
point  was  out  of  the  question,  and  therefore  Roger 
decided  to  put  the  best  face  on  the  matter. 

"  We  will  go  with  them,"  he  said  at  length ;  "  and 
do  you  keep  a  sharp  eye  on  me,  Tamba.  I  don't 
mean  to  be  slaughtered  without  a  struggle,  and  if  I 
see  that  it  is  coming  to  that,  I  will  make  a  rush  at 
the  nearest  man  with  arms  and  seize  them.  One  of 
those  swords  of  theirs  would  suit  me,  though  I 

156 


A  City  by  the  Water 

would  rather  it  were  heavier  and  bigger.  Now 
then ;  we  will  move.  We  are  ready,"  he  said,  turn- 
ing to  the  priests.  "  Keep  close,  Tamba.  I  don't 
like  the  look  of  these  fellows." 

With  a  bow  he  intimated  that  they  would  follow, 
and  a  minute  later  found  them  outside  the  cage.  Then 
the  procession  reformed.  The  priests  lined  up  on 
either  side  of  their  prisoners,  the  one  in  scarlet 
taking  his  place  in  front.  A  horn  was  blown,  and 
they  set  off  for  the  far  side  of  the  square,  the  war- 
riors in  their  gorgeous  trappings  falling  in  behind, 
while  the  crowd  followed  in  any  order,  their  eyes 
fixed  on  the  tall  figure  of  the  white  man.  Presently 
the  procession  passed  out  of  the  square,  and  Roger 
noted  with  a  qualm  that  their  steps  were  trending 
towards  a  gigantic  tower  which  stood  some  little 
way  in  front.  Was  it  the  sacrificial  tower,  where 
men  were  slain  to  appease  the  god  of  war — the 
Mexican  Mars?  Roger  looked  askance  at  Tamba, 
and  noted  that  he  too  was  ill  at  ease.  Then  he 
turned  his  attention  to  his  surroundings,  marvelling 
at  the  beauty  of  the  scene  and  at  the  thousands  of 
well-dressed  and  prosperous  people  who  surrounded 
them.  Indeed,  Mexico  was  en  fete.  The  surround- 
ings of  the  square  were  thronged  with  the  people, 
and  all  had  their  eyes  fixed  upon  the  white  prisoner. 
They  greeted  his  coming  with  shouts  of  joy  and 
admiration,  while  mothers  held  their  children  up 
above  their  heads  that  they  might  see.  On  every 
side  the  flat  roofs  bore  their  human  load,  while 
numerous  adjacent  towers  were  black  along  that 
side  which  faced  the  larger  one,  the  nodding  of 
plumes  and  the  gay  colour  of  the  clothing  showing 
that  people  were  also  crowded  there. 

157 


Roger  the  Bold 


"  We  cause  some  attention  to  be  shown,"  said 
Roger,  beneath  his  breath.  "  It  would  seem  as 
though  these  Mexicans  wish  to  do  honour  to  us, 
for  watch  how  some  throw  themselves  on  their 
knees  as  we  pass,  while  others  wave  their  hands  to 
us.  Perhaps,  after  all,  our  fears  are  groundless." 

Tamba  shook  his  head  disconsolately,  for  his 
conversation  with  the  Aztec  captive  had  told  him 
another  tale.  However,  he  would  not  cause  his 
master  unnecessary  alarm,  and  refrained,  therefore, 
from  answering. 

"  He  will  find  out  in  good  time,"  he  murmured 
to  himself.  "  Happier  for  him  if  I  keep  silent. 
For  me,  this  death  is  nothing.  A  few  weeks  ago  I 
would  have  welcomed  any  fate  which  took  me  from 
the  Spaniards,  and  now  all  that  I  live  for  is  this 
white  man,  my  master.  If  he  dies,  then  so  will  I 
also." 

By  now  the  procession  had  passed  across  a  wide 
courtyard  sprinkled  thickly  with  scented  blossoms, 
and  was  at  the  foot  of  the  tower.  The  latter  measured 
at  least  a  hundred  feet  on  each  face,  and  rose  for 
many  yards  till  the  first  terrace  was  reached. 
There  were  three  or  four  more  above  that,  so  that 
the  summit  overtopped  the  city.  Leading  the  way 
to  one  corner,  the  priest  in  scarlet  began  to  ascend 
by  way  of  a  flight  of  steps  which  passed  round  the 
sides  of  the  tower,  reaching  the  first  terrace  after 
encircling  it  once.  There  another  flight  commenced, 
and  so  on  till  the  summit  was  reached.  Not  till 
then  did  Roger  realize  the  significance  of  all  this 
display,  of  the  assembled  crowds,  and  of  their 
shouts  of  joy.  Arrived  on  the  summit,  his  eye  lit 
upon  a  huge  figure  in  the  shape  of  a  serpent, 

158 


A  City  by  the  Water 

coloured  and  jewelled  with  numerous  stones. 
Directly  in  front  of  this,  and  occupying  such  a 
position  that  all  in  the  streets  of  Mexico  could 
observe  it,  was  an  enormous  green  stone,  with 
smoothed  faces,  and  with  convex  top.  But  worse 
than  all  was  the  presence  of  blood  on  this  stone, 
and  upon  the  hideous  image  of  the  war  god.  Roger 
then  knew  that  he  had  been  brought  to  the  sacri- 
fice, and  in  an  instant  his  resolve  was  taken. 

"They  shall  cut  me  to  pieces  first  before  I 
submit,"  he  said  to  Tamba.  "  Watch  me  now,  and 
prepare  to  act.  If  one  of  those  hideous  priests 
approaches  me,  I  will  break  away  from  the  crowd 
and  seize  one  of  those  corners.  Look,  Tamba 
there  is  a  chapel  or  room  of  some  sort  over  there. 
We  will  make  it  a  fort." 

There  was  no  time  for  more.  The  black-robed 
priests  advanced  to  the  green  stone  altar  and 
politely  beckoned  to  Roger,  while  the  crowds 
below  became  strangely  silent,  their  eagerness 
stilling  their  tongues. 

"  Come,"  said  the  priest  in  the  scarlet  cloak, 
beckoning  again,  "we  will  not  delay,  or  keep  the 
war  god  waiting.  Let  the  white  stranger  advance 
first  and  lie  upon  the  altar." 

The  time  had  come.  A  priest  closed  in  on  either 
side  of  Roger,  while  others  fell  in  behind.  He  was 
surrounded,  and  the  moment  for  action  had  arrived. 


CHAPTER  IX 
Led  to  the  Sacrific 

/T^ERRIBLE  indeed  was  the  position  in  which 
X  Roger  and  Tamba  found  themselves,  and 
there  is  little  wonder  that  the  former  was  goaded 
to  desperation  by  the  thought  of  the  fate  awaiting 
him.  His  figure  was  drawn  to  its  fullest  height 
and  his  muscles  stood  out  tensely.  There  was  a 
moisture  on  his  forehead,  while  his  hands  were 
clammy  with  fear.  In  a  dream  he  saw  the  scarlet- 
cloaked  high  priest,  and  marked  his  tattered  and 
filthy  locks,  and  the  marks  on  his  head  and  neck  of 
self-inflicted  penance.  He  saw  the  black-robed 
helpers  at  his  elbow,  the  serpent  form  of  the  god  of 
war,  and  the  fire  which  burned  before  the  idol  and 
was  never  allowed  to  die  out.  Then  his  eye  roamed 
to  the  others  congregated  on  the  summit  of  the 
tower,  to  the  silent  and  expectant  crowds  in  the 
streets  below,  on  every  housetop,  and  on  the  hundred 
and  more  towers  which  rose  from  the  enormous 
enclosure  in  the  heart  of  the  city  given  up  to  the 
priesthood.  He  even  noted  the  smoke  of  the  sacri- 
ficial fires  there,  and  wondered  vaguely  who  lit 
them,  and  who  replenished  the  fuel.  Then  the 
curving  obsidian  knife  of  the  high  priest  caught  his 
attention,  while  the  touch  of  that  individual's  hand 
sent  a  thrill  through  him. 

160 


Led  to  the  Sacrifice 

"  The  altar  awaits  you,"  said  the  priest,  softly, 
as  if  he  bore  the  utmost  friendship  for  Roger. 
"  We  will  not  keep  the  god  of  war  waiting." 

His  words  and  the  touch  of  his  hand  awakened 
Roger  thoroughly.  A  second  or  so  before  he  had 
seemed  dazed ;  but  now  he  was  in  possession  of  his 
full  vigour,  both  of  mind  and  body.  He  stirred, 
beat  the  priest's  hand  away,  and  looked  at  Tamba. 

"  The  time  has  come.  Seize  a  weapon  and  follow 
me,"  he  said. 

At  that  instant  the  remaining  priests  closed 
round  him,  for  it  was  their  custom  for  four  or  five 
to  lift  the  victim  to  the  altar  and  hold  him  there 
while  their  chief  performed  the  murderous  act. 
Roger  saw  their  meaning,  and  swung  round  sud- 
denly ;  then  he  charged  them,  and  with  a  blow  to 
right  and  left  scattered  them  on  either  side.  A 
stately  and  gorgeous  Mexican  chief,  one  of  the  few 
who  had  come  near  to  the  cage  that  afternoon,  stood 
near  at  hand,  and  in  an  instant  Roger  had  him  in 
his  arms. 

"  To  the  chapel !  "  he  shouted,  "  and  prepare  to 
bar  the  door  if  there  is  one.  If  not,  look  for  some- 
thing with  which  we  can  fill  it,  and  keep  these  others 
out.  Quick !  The  priests  will  be  after  us." 

Bearing  his  captive  on  one  arm,  as  if  he  were  a 
child,  he  rushed  across  the  summit  of  the  tower,  a 
hoarse  roar  of  amazement  and  fury  swelling  the  air 
as  he  did  so.  The  entrance  to  a  small  chapel  lay 
before  him,  and  he  followed  Tamba  through  it,  the 
latter  having  snatched  a  native  sword  as  he  ran. 

"  There  is  no  door,  master ! "  he  called  out  in 
dismay.  "  There  is  only  a  curtain  of  feather  work 
with  bells  at  the  bottom." 

(B  566)  161  L 


Roger  the  Bold 


This,  in  fact,  was  the  case,  and  it  was  the  general 
arrangement  throughout  the  temples  and  private 
houses  of  the  Mexicans.  They  had  no  doors,  and 
merely  hung  a  curtain  across  the  entrance,  the  curtain 
being  very  often  of  the  most  beautiful  workmanship, 
and  having  attached  at  the  bottom  a  number  of  bells 
made  of  tiny  shells  or  of  silver,  which  gave  timely 
notice  of  the  approach  of  a  stranger. 

Within  the  chamber  all  was  gloomy  at  first  after 
the  brilliant  sunshine  outside.  But  in  the  space  of 
a  second  or  two  Roger's  eyes  became  accustomed 
to  the  half  light,  and  he  gave  vent  to  a  shout  as  he 
discovered  an  object. 

"  Here  is  a  carving  of  some  sort,"  he  called  out, 
"  and  made  of  stone,  too.  We  must  get  it  to  the  door. 
One  moment,  though." 

In  a  twinkling  he  wrenched  the  arms  from  the 
hand  and  belt  of  his  captive  and  flung  him  into  a 
corner.  Then  he  seized  the  object — one  of  the 
Mexican  deities — while  Tamba  came  eagerly  to  his 
help.  They  put  their  whole  strength  into  the  task, 
causing  the  idol  to  totter  on  its  pedestal.  It  moved 
a  few  inches  across  the  paved  floor,  and  encouraged 
by  this,  Roger  bent  to  the  work  with  all  his  might. 

"Now,  together!"  he  shouted.  "Shove  with 
all  your  might.  It  moves !  It  is  sliding  along  the 
floor.  Again,  and  we  have  it  in  position." 

At  any  other  time  it  would  have  taken  them  at 
least  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to  have  moved  this  mass 
of  stone,  but  fear  and  desperation  had  given  them 
power  which  they  could  not  have  summoned  on 
another  occasion.  As  Roger's  grasp  riveted  itself 
about  the  thigh  and  neck  of  the  inanimate  figure 
the  whole  idol  swayed,  and  when  Tamba  pushed 

162 


Led  to  the  Sacrifice 

with  his  shoulder  it  glided  with  a  grating  sound 
across  the  tiles.  Once  they  had  got  it  to  move  they 
never  rested  till  it  was  in  the  doorway,  where  it 
struck  with  a  thud,  presenting  an  almost  impene- 
trable barrier  to  the  enemy,  and  a  face  which  was 
even  more  hideous  than  that  of  the  god  of  war,  to 
which  the  Mexicans  had  given  such  an  unpronounce- 
able name.  However,  though  the  mass  of  stone 
effectively  checked  a  rush,  it  was  still  possible  to 
reach  the  inmates  of  the  chapel  over  the  head  and 
shoulders  of  the  idol ;  and  very  soon  those  without 
showed  that  that  was  their  intention.  A  head  dark- 
ened the  bright  patch  close  to  the  top  of  the  door, 
and  a  second  followed.  They  were  priests,  and 
Roger  determined  to  read  them  a  lesson. 

"  Stand  back,  and  watch  this  prisoner  of  mine," 
he  said  to  Tamba.  "  Now  see  me  deal  with  these 
butchers." 

The  sight  of  the  priests  seemed  to  madden  him 
and  stir  his  desperation,  and  as  Tamba  hastened  to 
obey  him,  Roger  stepped  coolly  across  the  tiles, 
and,  with  a  quick  movement,  snatched  at  one  of  the 
priests.  He  was  a  tall,  thin  man,  and  our  hero's 
grasp  closed  on  his  neck.  With  a  wrench  he  drew 
him  through  the  entrance,  and  with  his  other  hand 
arrested  the  blow  which  the  Mexican  aimed  at  him. 
Then  he  caught  him  up,  and,  stepping  closer,  threw 
him  with  all  his  force  at  the  head  of  his  comrade. 
There  was  a  thud.  The  body  of  the  priest  struck 
half  against  the  one  who  was  staring  into  the  chapel, 
and  half  against  the  head  and  neck  of  the  idol.  But 
Roger  had  used  all  his  force,  and  followed  it  up  by 
a  push  which  completed  the  task.  A  second  later 
there  was  a  dull  thud,  as  the  man  he  had  just  dealt 

163 


Roger  the   Bold 


with  crashed  through  the  narrow  space  and  fell  on 
the  flags  outside.  Then,  indeed,  did  Roger  know 
of  the  presence  of  the  crowd,  for,  from  every  quarter 
of  the  lake  city,  from  the  courtyards  below,  from 
the  scented  gardens  on  the  roofs,  and  from  the 
summit  of  a  hundred  towers,  a  hoarse  roar  of  indig- 
nation and  of  rage  came  to  his  ears.  It  swelled 
into  a  fanatical  shriek,  which  silenced  the  cries  of 
those  on  the  summit  of  the  tower  on  which  the  war 
god  stood,  and  it  filled  the  tiny  chapel  in  which  the 
two  fugitives  had  taken  up  their  quarters.  Even 
their  prisoner  heard  it,  though  he  was  half  dazed  by 
the  suddenness  of  the  action  which  had  snatched  him 
from  the  middle  of  his  friends.  He  heard,  and  lifted 
a  face  which  showed  the  utmost  consternation. 

"  The  gods  are  indeed  furious,  and  must  be  ap- 
peased," he  said.  "Why  did  you  do  such  a  thing? 
Surely  you  and  your  comrades  have  already  caused 
sufficient  suffering  to  us  ! " 

He  spoke  in  Spanish — in  poor  Spanish,  .it  is 
true ;  but  Roger  could  understand  him,  and  at  the 
sound  of  his  voice  turned  with  a  flush  on  his  cheek. 

"  Then  you  can  speak  the  language  ?  "  he  said 
angrily.  "  Why  did  you  not  offer  to  interpret  when 
we  were  in  the  cage  ?  I  asked  for  some  one  to 
make  us  known  to  your  friends,  and  to  explain  that 
we  were  not  Spanish,  but  no  one  came  forward. 
You  were  there.  Why  did  you  not  proffer  your 
services  ?  " 

It  looked  for  a  moment  as  if  he  would  have  done 
some  injury  to  the  noble,  for  that  this  Mexican  un- 
doubtedly was.  But  whatever  his  intention,  it  was 
frustrated  within  a  second,  for  there  was  a  shout 
outside,  a  mass  of  men  threw  themselves  against 

164 


Led  to  the  Sacrifice 

the  idol,  and,  using  all  their  force,  hurled  it  into  the 
chapel.  It  fell  backward  on  to  the  tiled  floor  with 
a  crash,  which  split  fragments  from  it.  Then  it 
rolled  sideways  and  lay  across  the  entrance,  leaving 
a  wide  chasm  above,  through  which  a  couple  of  men, 
or  even  three,  could  enter  abreast ;  and  on  the  far 
side  it  exposed  a  crowd  of  jewelled  Mexicans  and 
five  furious  priests,  whose  faces  showed  their  ani- 
mosity. At  their  feet,  feebly  endeavouring  to  rise 
to  his  knees,  was  the  one  whom  Roger  had  treated 
so  roughly. 

For  a  few  seconds  there  was  a  pause,  while  the 
opponents  faced  one  another  across  the  fallen  image. 
Then  there  was  a  shout  from  the  scarlet-robed 
priest.  He  and  his  helpers  stood  aside,  while  a 
number  of  fighting  men  filled  their  places,  and  these 
flung  themselves  at  Roger,  grabbing  fiercely  at  him 
with  their  bare  hands,  as  if  they  desired  to  take  him 
alive  and  without  the  use  of  a  weapon.  In  fact,  this 
was  their  intention,  following  their  usual  custom  in 
warfare,  where  they  strove  to  capture  prisoners  for 
the  sacrifice  rather  than  to  kill  their  enemies. 

"  Be  ready  to  meet  any  who  get  past  me ! " 
shouted  Roger,  glancing  over  his  shoulder  towards 
Tamba,  "  and  try  to  keep  an  eye  on  our  prisoner. 
I  will  keep  these  fellows  back  with  this  club." 

He  had  taken  the  Mexican's  sword  from  him  on 
entering  the  chapel,  and  had  carried  it  since  secured 
to  his  arm  by  a  leathern  thong  attached  to  the  handle 
for  that  purpose.  With  a  swing  he  brought  it  into 
his  hand,  and  as  the  enemy  crushed  into  the  open- 
ing and  endeavoured  to  grapple  with  him,  he  struck 
fiercely  at  them.  And  he  was  only  just  in  time,  for 
one  of  the  enemy  leapt  with  reckless  courage  over 

165 


Roger  the  Bold 


the  idol,  and  flung  his  arms  round  Roger's  legs, 
while  a  second  closed  with  him  so  swiftly  that 
before  very  long  he  would  have  been  helpless.  But 
the  native  sword  came  to  his  aid  He  lifted  it  well 
above  his  head,  and  brought  it  down  on  the  shoulder 
of  the  last  assailant  with  a  crash  which  shook  the 
breath  from  his  body,  and  left  him  senseless  on  the 
tiles.  For  the  first  he  found  a  summary  means  of 
ridding  himself  of  his  embrace ;  for  with  a  sudden 
movement  he  loosened  the  man's  grip,  and  then, 
before  he  could  close  round  his  legs  again,  he 
brought  his  knee  up  with  a  jerk  which  caused  it  to 
strike  the  Mexican  full  in  the  face.  It  was  a  terrible 
blow,  and  the  man  fell  as  if  he  had  been  felled  with 
an  axe.  But  there  were  others  at  hand,  and,  un- 
deterred by  the  unfortunate  ending  of  their  com- 
rades, they  came  on  furiously,  whistling  and  crying 
in  shrill  tones. 

"Stand  back!"  shouted  Roger,  standing  just 
within  the  doorway  with  the  native  sword,  now 
little  better  than  a  club,  over  his  shoulder,  and 
looking  like  a  lion  at  bay.  "  Stand  back,  or  I  will 
kill  every  soul  who  ventures  to  attack  me ! " 

"  He  has  insulted  our  gods !  Bring  him  out  and 
sacrifice  him ! "  shrieked  those  outside.  "  Let  us  see 
this  foreigner  slain  on  the  altar!  Bring  him  out 
without  delay ! " 

"  Then  I  swear  that  many  of  you  shall  die  before 
I  am  killed  by  your  butchers ! "  shouted  Roger, 
seeing  that  they  were  about  to  attack.  "  Up  to  this 
I  have  played  with  you  ;  now  I  shall  strike  to  kill ! " 

He  was  as  good  as  his  word,  too,  and  for  many 
minutes  the  scene  at  the  narrow  doorway  was 
appalling  and  magnificent  There  was  no  need  as 

166 


Led  to  the  Sacrifice 

yet  for  Tamba  to  help  his  master,  for  Roger  de  Luce 
had  already  shown  his  prowess,  and  had  fought  with 
men  who  were  fully  armed  and  protected.  Now  he 
was  contesting  the  path  with  natives  who  bore  only 
the  lightest  armour,  and  who,  moreover,  sought  to 
take  him  alive.  But  their  numbers  made  the  danger, 
and  our  hero  realized  that  once  he  permitted  more 
than  three  or  four  to  enter  alive  he  and  Tamba 
would  be  dragged  to  the  floor.  It  was  therefore 
with  the  utmost  fury  that  he  set  upon  the  attackers. 
Thanks  to  the  fact  that  the  entrance  to  the  chapel 
was  narrow,  not  more  than  three  could  come  at  him 
at  one  time,  and  these  he  cut  down  with  terrific 
blows  from  his  club.  They  staggered  and  fell, 
tumbling  upon  the  idol,  while  a  few  rolled  over  it 
into  the  chapel  But  still  they  came,  till  one  blow, 
a  little  stronger  than  its  predecessors,  caused  the 
club  to  break  into  fragments.  Even  then  Roger 
would  not  give  way,  and,  dropping  the  club,  he 
flung  himself  upon  the  Mexicans  after  their  own 
fashion,  only,  instead  of  attempting  to  grasp  them, 
he  struck  right  and  left  with  his  clenched  fists  till 
the  entrance  was  cleared  and  the  enemy  retreated 
in  consternation. 

"  We  will  rush  them ! "  shouted  Roger,  seeing 
the  effect  which  his  fighting  had  made  "  Leave  the 
prisoner,  Tamba,  and  follow !  Close  your  fists  and 
strike  in  every  direction !  Now,  quickly,  before 
those  priests  can  rally  them ! " 

There  was  just  a  bare  chance  of  success,  and 
they  snatched  at  it  eagerly.  With  a  bound  and  a 
shout  which  helped  to  startle  the  natives,  Roger 
cleared  the  entrance,  his  faithful  companion  close  at 
his  heel  Then  he  rushed  at  a  group  of  the  enemy 

167 


Roger  the  Bold 


who  stood  about  the  priests  discussing  the  situation 
with  them.  There  was  a  shriek  of  dismay.  A  few 
of  the  Mexicans  faced  their  white  prisoner,  and  en- 
deavoured to  check  his  advance,  but  the  old  methods 
succeeded.  Roger's  fist  brought  consternation  to 
their  minds,  and  hardly  had  the  first  opponent 
measured  his  full  length  on  the  ground  than  the 
others  took  to  their  heels  and  raced  for  the  stairway 
which  led  to  the  courts  below ;  nor  did  they  halt  till 
they  were  safely  amongst  the  crowd. 

"A  hot  fight,"  said  Roger,  breathlessly,  and 
with  a  reckless  laugh.  "  Never  before  have  I  used 
my  fists  to  such  purpose.  Look  at  the  knuckles. 
Even  in  England  I  never  fought  so  much,  nor  struck 
so  many  blows.  And  they  are  really  gone,  Tamba  ?  " 

"  All  save  the  men  who  have  fallen  to  your 
blows,  my  lord,  and  the  noble  whom  you  captured," 
answered  the  native,  eyeing  his  master  with  amaze- 
ment. "Truly  it  was  a  brave  fight,  and  I  have 
never  seen  men  struck  to  the  ground  in  such  a  way. 
Show  me  how  it  was  done." 

Roger  doubled  his  fist,  and  displayed  a  row  of 
knuckles  from  which  the  skin  had  been  torn. 

"  Their  teeth  are  sharp,"  he  said,  again  with  a 
reckless  laugh,  "  and  they  fight  with  their  mouths 
open.  That  is  the  way,  Tamba ;  close  the  hand,  and 
put  the  thumb  so.  Then  hit  out  from  the  shoulder, 
and  aim  for  the  face.  A  good  blow  will  fell  an 
enemy.  But  what  about  these  men  who  are  lying 
about  us  ?  None  are  killed,  except,  perhaps,  one  or 
two  whom  I  struck  with  the  club.  We  must  get 
rid  of  them  ;  and,  above  all,  we  must  take  pains  to 
keep  our  prisoner.  Go  to  him  now,  and  tell  him 
that  he  will  be  killed  if  he  attempts  to  escape.  I  will 

168 


Led  to  the  Sacrifice 


look  at  our  enemies,  and  will  place  them  on  the 
flight  of  steps.  Collect  a  few  of  the  arms  as  you  go, 
for  we  shall  need  them.  And,  Tamba " 

"What  next,  my  lord?" 

"  Have  a  look  into  their  pouches.     Some  may 


•Tezcuco 


Tlacuba. 


halco 


MAP   SHOWING   MEXICO   CITY   AND   SURROUNDINGS. 

contain  food,  and  we  shall  want  it  perhaps.  I  mean 
to  remain  here  till  I  am  exhausted  or  until  these 
fellows  admit  their  friendship  for  us.  Those  priests 
will  be  our  worst  foes.  They  will  never  forgive 
the  rough  treatment  I  have  given  them.  There,  off 
you  go,  and  let  me  know  what  success  you  have." 

169 


Roger  the  Bold 


For  a  little  while  Roger  sat  down  upon  a  seat 
which  faced  the  hideous  image  of  the  war  god, 
glancing  listlessly  at  the  huge  green  slab  of  stone, 
with  its  convex  upper  surface,  upon  which  he  was 
to  have  been  placed,  and  on  which  he  might  yet 
lose  his  life.  Then  his  eye  wandered  from  the 
figures  of  the  fallen  Mexicans  to  the  towers  within 
the  courtyard  of  the  temple,  and  to  the  houses 
about. 

"  Just  like  the  drawing  on  the  disc,"  he  reflected. 
"There  was  a  huge  square  in  the  very  centre  of 
the  buildings,  and  a  tower  in  it.  And  close  beside 
was  the  part  marked  with  beasts  and  birds.  There 
they  are,  too,  as  I  live !  It  must  be  a  cage  in  which 
they  tame  the  animals." 

From  his  elevated  position  he  could  see  over 
the  whole  city  of  Mexico,  and  distinctly  observed 
the  aviaries  and  menageries  kept  by  the  king  and 
by  his  priests.  Also  as  his  eye  roamed  farther 
afield  he  saw  numerous  canoes  moving  across  the 
water,  and  in  one  quarter  of  the  city  another  enor- 
mous square,  which  acted  as  a  public  market.  But 
he  had  little  time  for  such  details.  The  situation 
demanded  his  whole  attention,  and  now  that  he  had 
recovered  his  breath  he  turned  to  face  the  difficul- 
ties which  confronted  him.  Taking  up  a  fallen 
sword,  he  strolled  from  one  to  another  of  the  Mexi- 
cans, and  turned  them  upon  their  backs.  Some 
were  still  unconscious,  while  a  few  suffered  from 
broken  limbs,  and  were  otherwise  unhurt.  In  these 
cases  Roger  tenderly  straightened  the  leg,  and 
placed  it  in  such  a  position  that  the  man  was  com- 
fortable. Then  he  went  to  another,  till  he  had  been 
the  round  of  all  who  had  been  injured. 

170 


Led  to  the  Sacrifice 

"  Fourteen,"  he  said,  with  a  smile  of  satisfac- 
tion, "and  a  few  must  have  got  away.  That  thin 
priest  still  lies  here  groaning,  and  indeed  I  gave 
him  good  cause.  I  wonder  whether  he  would  make 
a  valuable  hostage  ?  I  will  keep  him,  and  get  rid 
of  these  other  fellows.  Come,  Tamba,"  he  shouted, 
seeing  the  native  emerge  from  the  chapel,  "lend 
me  a  hand,  and  we  will  drag  these  men  to  the  stairs. 
I  shall  keep  the  priest  with  our  other  prisoner,  for 
they  may  be  useful.  We  might  even  arrange  a 
kind  of  exchange,  they  to  have  their  liberty  while 
we  have  a  guarantee  of  safety.  But  what  did  the 
prisoner  say  ?  " 

"  That  he  would  swear  to  remain  and  leave  us 
unhampered.  He  speaks  of  you  as  if  he  thought 
you  as  fine  as  one  of  his  own  gods.  He  says  also 
that  there  is  a  mistake,  and  that  the  people  will  find 
it  out." 

"  I  hope  so,"  was  Roger's  answer,  "  and  in  a 
little  while  when  we  have  made  ourselves  secure 
we  will  talk  to  him.  But  let  us  see  to  this  matter, 
and  keep  a  careful  eye  on  the  stairs  below.  I 
have  been  watching,  and  so  far  I  have  seen  no  one 
venture  to  ascend." 

Some  minutes  later,  when  the  two  had  contrived 
to  drag  all  their  unconscious  enemies  to  the  top  of 
the  stairway  and  had  carried  them  down  a  few 
paces,  they  returned  to  the  chapel,  taking  the  priest 
with  them.  They  found  the  noble  seated  in  one 
corner,  thoroughly  resigned,  and  eager  to  talk  to 
his  captors.  As  Roger  entered  he  rose  to  his  feet, 
and  bowed  with  every  sign  of  humility. 

"  I  did  not  hear  your  words  down  in  the  court 
below,"  he  said,  by  way  of  excuse.  "  I  was  one  of 

171 


Roger  the   Bold 

the  few  who  came  to  take  part  in  the  procession, 
but  I  stood  some  way  outside  the  cage.  It  is  only 
now  that  I  have  learned  from  your  servant  that 
you  are  no  Spaniard.  Till  you  brought  me  here  I 
thought  that  you  were  one  of  our  hated  enemies, 
those  who  have  brought  such  misery  to  us,  and  have 
killed  our  king.  Remember,  when  you  spoke  to 
the  priest  you  used  the  tongue  of  these  ruthless 
invaders,  so  that  it  was  natural  that  I  should  take 
you  for  one  of  them." 

"And  now  you  know  that  I  am  of  a  different 
nation.  I  came  to  these  parts  with  comrades,  and 
met  the  Spaniards  in  battle.  I  am  ready  to  fight 
them  again,  and  will  aid  your  friends  if  they  will 
allow  me.  But  they  must  never  attempt  to  attack 
me  again,  or  to  drag  me  to  this  temple." 

"  I  will  explain  all  to  them,  and  shall  hope  to 
convince  them,"  was  the  answer.  "  But  they  are 
angry.  Listen  to  their  shouts.  Our  gods  have  been 
insulted,  and  they  call  for  some  atonement.  A 
sacrifice  is  needed  to  appease  our  deities.  Now  tell 
me  from  what  country  you  come,  and  what  has 
brought  you  here." 

"  Gladly,"  said  Roger.  "  But  first  I  will  see  that 
we  are  not  caught  napping.  Tamba,  take  post  at 
the  top  of  the  stairway  and  keep  watch.  Let  me 
know  if  you  observe  any  movement." 

He  sat  down  on  the  fallen  idol  while  the  native 
went  to  carry  out  his  orders.  Then  he  told  the 
Mexican  how  he  had  sailed  from  England,  and  how 
he  and  his  comrades  came,  hoping  to  obtain  gold 
and  silver  and  jewels. 

"  They  are  prized  in  our  country,"  he  said,  "  and 
we  were  ready  to  barter  fairly  for  them.  Our  hold 

172 


Led  to  the  Sacrifice 

was  filled  with  useful  articles,  which  we  were  pre- 
pared to  exchange." 

"And  these  comrades.  Where  are  they  now?" 
demanded  the  Mexican. 

Roger  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  The  Spaniards 
kept  them  from  returning  to  this  coast  to  pick  me 
up,"  he  said.  "They  may  be  anywhere.  I  have 
had  no  news  of  them." 

"  Then  I  can  speak  of  their  whereabouts,"  said  the 
Mexican,  suddenly.  "  Our  spies  tell  us  of  much  that 
is  happening,  and  our  couriers  have  brought  news 
of  another  ship  seen  off  the  coast.  It  was  chased  by 
the  Spaniards,  and  guns  were  fired.  Then  it  ap- 
peared to  the  north,  and  a  landing  was  made.  Your 
friends  are  now  trading  along  the  coast,  and  there 
you  will  find  them." 

The  news  came  as  a  huge  relief  to  Roger,  and 
he  could  almost  have  shouted  with  joy.  Then  he 
suddenly  remembered  his  position,  and  gave  vent 
to  a  groan  of  disappointment. 

"  Find  them  ! "  he  said  disdainfully.  "  Find  them, 
when  some  thousands  of  your  countrymen  are 
endeavouring  to  see  me  sacrificed !  How  am  I  to 
get  to  this  coast,  when  this  tower  is  surrounded  by 
men  who  are  eager  to  have  me  killed  ?  " 

How  indeed  !  Even  the  noble  with  whom  he 
conversed  could  not  explain  that,  while  the  hoarse 
murmurs  from  below,  the  blowing  of  horns  in  the 
temple  courtyard,  and  the  obvious  anger  of  the 
priests  and  of  the  crowd,  made  it  more  than  pro- 
bable that  escape  would  be  next  to  impossible,  and 
that  nothing  but  the  death  of  the  tall  stranger 
would  atone  for  what  had  happened.  But  Roger 
was  a  youth  who  had  been  born  with  a  stubborn 

173 


Roger  the  Bold 


nature,  and  now  that  he  had  crossed  swords  with 
these  superstitious  natives  he  began  to  have  less 
fear  of  them.  He  had  gained  the  upper  hand  in  a 
miraculous  manner,  and  had  now  captured  the  sum- 
mit of  the  tower,  and  also  two  important  hostages. 
He  had  only  to  hold  out  a  little  while  and  something 
might  happen  to  bring  relief.  The  thought  led  him 
to  remember  that  food  and  drink  would  be  neces- 
sary, and  at  once  he  went  to  Tamba,  to  find  the 
native  seated  on  the  edge  of  the  tower,  carefully 
watching  the  flights  of  steps  below. 

"There  is  much  excitement,"  he  answered,  in 
reply  to  Roger's  question  as  to  what  was  passing ; 
"  and  once  I  saw  a  procession  of  priests  and  fighting 
men  coming  towards  the  tower.  But  they  went  on 
and  disappeared.  But  the  crowds  still  line  the 
towers  over  yonder,  and  the  house-tops." 

"  Which  makes  it  appear  as  if  they  had  not  given 
up  thought  of  the  sacrifice.  Well,  we  must  dis- 
appoint them.  Tell  me,  did  you  find  food  in  the 
bags  of  any  of  those  who  fell  ?  " 

"  None,"  was  the  answer ;  "  but  there  are  other 
buildings  here,  and  perhaps  a  search  will  produce 
something." 

Roger  went  off  at  once,  and  entered  every  one 
of  the  smaller  buildings  which  were  on  the  top  of 
the  tower.  There  were,  in  fact,  four  smaller  towers 
rising  from  the  corners  of  this  big  erection,  on  which 
stood  the  statue  of  the  war  god,  and  in  each  were 
several  apartments,  the  fittings  of  which  showed 
that  a  priest  or  priests  were  accustomed  to  live  there. 

"  Probably  the  fellow  who  keeps  the  fire  going," 
thought  Roger.  "The  Mexican  tells  me  that  it  is 
never  allowed  to  die  down  save  once  in  about  fifty 

174 


Led  to  the  Sacrifice 

years.  Then  there  is  some  ceremony,  and  a  fire  is 
kindled  somewhere  on  the  mountains  outside  the 
city.  There  is  one  of  these  horrible  sacrifices  too, 
and  then  the  fire  is  sent  in  portions  by  means  of 
flaming  brands  to  every  city  under  the  Mexican 
sway.  Then,  if  a  fellow  lives  here  there  will  be  food 
and  water,  and  perhaps  a  bed." 

It  was  not  long,  indeed,  before  he  came  upon  the 
latter,  and  presently  discovered  in  an  adjoining 
room  a  bin  with  bananas  and  the  remains  of  a  bird, 
which  was  probably  a  turkey.  There  was  also  an 
enormous  jar  containing  water,  and  near  at  hand 
another  with  some  liquid,  which  he  afterwards 
learned  was  a  native  wine  called  pulque,  used  to 
this  day  throughout  the  country. 

"  Then  we  shall  not  starve,"  he  said,  with  a  feeling 
of  satisfaction  and  with  rising  spirits.  "  I  fancy  we 
have  little  to  grumble  at,  for  this  top  of  the  temple 
is  an  excellent  place  to  defend.  We  can  see  every- 
thing that  is  happening  below,  and  stand  high  up, 
so  that  we  can  beat  back  the  attackers.  And  we 
could  drop  things  on  them." 

That  set  him  thinking,  and  he  went  off  at  a  run 
to  join  Tamba. 

"Anything  happening?"  he  asked  brusquely. 

The  native  shook  his  head. 

"Then  call  me  if  there  is.  I  am  going  to  make 
arrangements  for  defence." 

He  ran  to  the  chapel,  where  he  found  the  priest 
sitting  up,  looking  feeble,  rand  talking  in  low  tones 
to  the  captive  noble.  The  latter  rose  at  once,  and 
bowed  with  the  same  signs  of  humility  as  before, 
while  the  other  greeted  Roger  with  a  look  which 
spoke  of  animosity  and  hatred. 

175 


Roger  the  Bold 


"Give  him  the  warning,"  said  our  hero,  glancing 
at  the  priest.  "  Tell  him  that  I  will  fling  him  to  the 
ground  below  if  he  makes  any  attempt  at  escape. 
Then  come  with  me.  I  have  need  of  your  service." 

He  stood  at  the  door  watching  the  priest,  and 
noted  his  pallor  as  the  news  was  given  him.  His 
looks  of  hostility  were  less  marked,  and  for  a 
moment  it  appeared  as  if  he  would  ask  for  clemency 
from  his  captor.  But  Roger  would  not  wait,  and, 
beckoning  to  the  noble,  led  the  way  across  to  the  part 
where  he  had  discovered  food  and  drink.  There 
were  some  heavy  benches  in  one  of  the  rooms,  and 
an  assortment  of  articles  kept  for  the  comfort  of  the 
priests,  while  outside  stood  three  enormous  stone 
bowls,  filled  with  earth  and  scented  blossoms,  for 
the  Mexicans  were  very  fond  of  flowers. 

"  Lend  a  hand,"  said  Roger,  curtly.  "  Now  push, 
and  we  will  get  this  across  to  the  stairs.  After  that 
we  will  barricade  the  entrance  to  this  little  place 
with  the  benches." 

An  hour  later  all  was  in  readiness.  The  bowls, 
which  were  massive  affairs,  blocked  the  summit  of 
the  last  flight  of  stairs,  while  their  new  quarters 
were  more  effectually  guarded  than  had  been  the 
case  when  the  idol  stood  in  the  way.  The  priest 
also  had  been  removed  to  his  new  quarters,  and  so 
well  had  Roger's  threats  acted,  as  well  as  the 
remembrance  of  his  strength  and  rough  handling, 
that  there  seemed  little  doubt  that  the  man  would 
prove  faithful  and  give  no  trouble.  Roger  and 
Tamba  stood  on  the  edge  of  the  tower,  looking  down 
at  the  streets  below,  where  there  was  less  move- 
ment now.  At  their  feet,  and  piled  at  intervals 
round  the  tower,  were  heaps  of  stones,  or  bricks, 

176 


Led  to  the  Sacrifice 

which  they  had  wrenched  from  the  sides  of  the 
smaller  towers,  for  all  were  constructed  of  clay  and 
earth,  to  which  a  facing  of  bricks  had  been  added. 

"  They  are  fairly  small,  and  one  can  throw  them 
easily,"  explained  Roger.  "  We  will  use  them  in 
case  of  attack,  and  I  rather  think  that  that  will  be  as 
soon  as  darkness  falls.  If  they  win  their  way  up  the 
stairs  we  will  stand  behind  the  flower  jars  and  strike 
at  them  with  our  swords.  Fortunately  we  are  now 
well  supplied  with  arms." 

"And  there  is  food  and  drink  too,  as  you  tell  me, 
master.  We  are  fortunate.  I  begin  to  think  that 
these  Mexicans  will  do  as  their  noble  has  done. 
They  will  change  their  minds,  and  will  see  in  us 
valuable  friends  who  can  help  them." 

"  Not  till  they  have  attacked  again,"  said  Roger, 
with  assurance. 

Nor  did  he  prove  to  be  mistaken,  for  as  the  dusk 
came,  and  it  was  no  longer  possible  to  see  the  lowest 
of  the  flights  of  steps,  a  movement  was  heard  below. 

"  Men  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,"  said  Tamba,  who 
had  wonderful  hearing.  "They  are  coming." 

Roger  listened  intently.  Then  he  took  an  arm- 
ful of  bricks,  and  holding  them  against  his  chest 
with  his  left  arm,  began  to  hurl  them  down  the  side 
of  the  tower.  He  had  carefully  marked  the  spot  to 
drop  them  from  during  the  daylight,  and  now  he  had 
the  satisfaction  of  hearing  more  than  one  clatter  on 
the  stairway.  There  was  a  sudden  shriek  and  a 
scampering  of  many  feet.  After  that,  silence  sur- 
rounded the  tower,  and  though  Tamba  crept  to  the 
bottom,  no  one  was  to  be  seen.  Then  silence  settled 
down  upon  the  city,  and  the  darkness  became 
extreme.  Nothing,  in  fact,  could  be  seen  save  the 

177  M 


Roger  the  Bold 


flare  of  a  number  of  sacrificial  fires,  which  blazed 
upon  the  altars  perched  upon  the  summit  of  every 
tower.  The  scene  was  weird,  for  occasionally  a  gust 
of  wind  would  stir  these  flames,  and  they  burned  up 
brightly,  allowing  Roger  and  Tamba  to  obtain  a 
glimpse  of  the  streets  and  the  courtyards  below,  and 
of  the  water  which  surrounded  the  city.  Then  all 
was  blackness  again,  save  for  the  fires  and  for  the 
occasional  figure  of  an  attendant  who  replenished 
them.  ! 

"A  good  thought,"  said  Roger.  "Ours  shall 
blaze  too,  and  will  perhaps  help  us  to  ward  off 
danger.  Throw  some  of  the  fuel  on." 

There  was  a  pile  of  pine  chippings  close  to  the 
altar,  and  the  native  soon  had  the  fire  burning 
merrily.  Then  he  rejoined  Roger,  bringing  food 
and  wine.  They  supped  together  contentedly,  and 
having  taken  care  to  keep  a  careful  eye  on  their 
prisoners  till  they  were  sure  that  they  were  to  be 
trusted,  they  posted  themselves  on  the  summit  of 
the  stairs.  Nothing  happened  for  many  hours,  till 
Roger  became  drowsy.  But  Tamba's  hand  sud- 
denly touched  him,  and  he  was  alert  at  once. 

"  H-h-h-ush,  master !  They  are  coming ! "  he 
said.  "  I  heard  some  one  stumble  and  his  arms 
clatter  on  the  steps  !" 

The  faithful  fellow  had  made  no  mistake,  for 
presently  the  soft  murmur  of  many  ascending  feet 
came  to  the  ear,  and  told  the  two  that  they  were 
face  to  face  with  a  second  attack. 


178 


CHAPTER  X 
Roger   at    Bay 

"/""*REEP  to  the  fire  and  gently  throw  some  wood 
v_^  on  it,"  whispered  Roger  in  Tamba's  ear,  as 
soon  as  he  was  sure  that  the  enemy  were  coming. 
"  Be  careful  that  they  do  not  see  you  against  the 
light.  I  will  wait  here  till  you  rejoin  me ;  and  recol- 
lect, when  they  advance  make  no  movement  till  I 
give  the  word,  or,  rather,  till  you  hear  me  throw 
one  of  the  bricks.  I  shall  rely  on  those  to  defeat 
them." 

The  native  went  off  into  the  darkness  as  if  he 
were  a  ghost,  and  presently,  as  Roger  looked,  he 
saw  that  the  flames  were  licking  round  the  new  fuel. 

"  The  light  will  help  us,  while  it  will  not  show 
our  figures,"  he  said  to  himself  with  a  feeling  of 
satisfaction,  for  it  happened  that  one  of  the  corner 
towers  threw  a  deep  shadow  where  he  was.  "  Our 
best  defence  will  be  to  act  in  silence.  Our  bricks 
ought  to  account  for  a  few,  and  after  that  I  have  a 
method  which  may  check  them.  Ah !  they  are 
coming  rapidly,  and  Tamba  will  have  to  hurry.  He 
is  a  long  while  away." 

A  second  or  two  later  the  native  appeared  at  his 
side,  or,  rather,  Roger  knew  he  was  there,  for 
Tamba  touched  his  arm.  He  had  approached  in 
absolute  silence. 

179 


Roger  the  Bold 


"  They  are  on  the  last  terrace  below,"  he  whis- 
pered in  Roger's  ear.  "  I  heard  them  talking.  The 
fire  is  built  up,  and  will  give  a  better  light  in  a  little 
while.  I  thought  it  would  be  well  to  look  at  the 
prisoners.  They  are  asleep,  master.  We  have  no 
need  to  expect  treachery  from  them." 

"Then  we  shall  be  all  the  better  able  to  defend 
this  place.  If  we  are  rushed,  we  run  to  our  new 
defence,  while  they  will  probably  go  to  the  chapel 
where  the  idol  lies.  Perhaps  we  might  even  descend 
during  the  darkness." 

"We  might,  master;  but  there  is  a  ring  of  sen- 
tries about  us.  I  saw  them  as  I  watched.  We  are 
more  secure  up  here  than  in  any  other  place. 
Fortune  has  favoured  us." 

"  Hist !  They  are  nearer.  Silence,  and  gather 
your  bricks." 

They  leaned  over  the  pile  which  they  had  accu- 
mulated close  to  the  top  of  the  steps,  and  filled  an 
arm.  Then,  with  one  ready  in  their  hands,  and  a 
sufficient  space  between  them  to  give  ample  room 
for  throwing,  they  waited.  By  now  the  fire  had 
commenced  to  burn  up  a  little,  and  the  flames  illu- 
minated the  top  of  the  stairs  feebly,  showing  the 
big  jars  of  earth.  Roger  watched  them,  and  heard 
whispering,  for  the  Mexicans  had  also  seen  the 
obstruction.  Then  a  man's  head  squeezed  between 
two  of  them,  while  his  body  slowly  wriggled  its  way 
through  the  narrow  opening.  A  second  appeared 
at  another,  while  a  third,  a  venturesome  fellow, 
clambered  round  the  outside  margin  of  the  one 
which  stood  on  the  very  border  of  the  steps.  A 
slip  of  the  hand,  a  toppling  of  the  jar,  would  have 
sent  him  into  space,  with  a  fall  of  some  hundreds  of 

180 


Roger  at  Bay 


feet  below  him.  Roger  lifted  his  arm,  aimed  for  the 
central  man,  and  launched  his  brick.  There  was  a 
dull  thud,  a  shriek — more  of  fear  than  of  pain — and 
the  Mexican  withdrew.  Then  Tamba  attempted  the 
same,  and  with  equal  fortune,  his  brick  glancing 
from  the  man's  back  and  clattering  down  the  stairs. 
As  yet  not  a  sound  other  than  the  shriek  had  come 
from  either  of  the  combatants.  But  now  a  voice 
was  heard.  Some  one  gave  a  sharp  order,  and  at 
once  an  attempt  was  made  to  repeat  the  process  of 
wriggling  through,  while,  on  the  side  nearest  to  the 
centre  of  the  tower,  arms  encircled  the  jar,  and  an 
effort  was  made  to  remove  it.  But  Roger  frustrated 
the  attempt,  a  well-aimed  brick  crashing  against  one 
of  the  arms,  and  breaking  it  as  if  it  had  been  a  stick. 
Meanwhile  Tamba  had  pelted  the  others,  and  had 
caused  them  to  withdraw. 

"  They  are  talking  again,"  whispered  Roger,  as 
he  crouched  in  the  darkness.  "  We  will  remain  here 
till  they  attempt  to  remove  the  jars,  and  then  we 
will  use  our  swords.  Make  no  noise,  but  cut  at 
them  with  all  your  strength.  If  they  become  dan- 
gerous, wait  for  my  shout,  and  then  do  what  I  order." 

There  was  a  lull  for  some  few  minutes,  while 
the  ever-brightening  fire  permitted  the  defenders  to 
see  that  no  one  was  at  their  obstruction.  But  down 
below  an  occasional  dusky  figure  could  be  observed, 
while  there  was  the  dull  sound  of  whispered  con- 
versation, and  a  click  now  and  again  as  a  club  or 
sword  struck  the  masonry.  Suddenly  there  was 
silence  again,  and  Roger  nudged  Tamba. 

"A  sure  warning,"  he  whispered.  "Get  your 
sword  ready.  But  one  second.  Can  they  possibly 
reach  us  in  any  other  way  ?  " 

181 


Roger  the  Bold 


"  It  is  out  of  the  question,  master.  The  walls  are 
steep  and  smooth,  and  there  is  no  one  to  lower  a 
rope.  We  have  only  the  stairs  to  defend." 

"  Then  I  have  little  fear.  If  I  were  unarmed  I 
could  hold  them,  I  think,  unless  they  came  prepared 
to  cut  us  down.  That  would  be  different." 

It  would  indeed  have  made  a  vast  amount  of  dif- 
ference, and  would  nearly  certainly  have  led  to  cap- 
ture or  death.  But  these  Mexicans  had  a  blind 
faith  in  their  war  god  and  other  deities,  and  groaned 
under  a  system  of  superstition  which  the  priests 
took  good  care  to  keep  alive.  It  would  have  been 
far  easier,  and  far  better  for  themselves,  to  fling 
themselves  against  these  foreigners  with  their  best 
arms,  and  cut  them  down  by  sheer  advantage  ot 
numbers.  But  their  superstition  taught  them  that 
a  sacrifice  was  needed,  that  prisoners  should  not  be 
slain  in  battle,  but  merely  taken  with  as  little  hurt 
as  possible,  so  that  they  might  be  afterwards  offered 
to  their  idols.  And  now  that  they  had  a  huge  and 
strange  opponent  to  deal  with,  one  who  fought  with 
his  hands  in  a  manner  which  none  had  ever  seen, 
they  still  adhered  to  their  practice,  determining  to 
take  him  alive.  It  gave  Roger  and  his  comrade  an 
enormous  advantage — an  advantage  which  they 
needed,  however,  even  though  they  held  such  a 
commanding  position.  For  the  Mexicans  had  the 
numbers.  Life  was  of  no  consequence,  and  they 
were  prepared  to  throw  away  many  of  their  fight- 
ing men  to  attain  their  object.  The  insult  to  their 
deities  lent  added  desperation  to  their  attack,  and 
when  they  advanced  up  the  stairs  again  it  was  with 
the  determination  to  conquer.  They  found  on  the 
upper  side  of  the  barrier  a  young  giant  filled  with 

182 


Roger  at  Bay 

equal  determination,  prepared  to  seize  his  enemies, 
and,  if  he  were  surrounded  and  capture  imminent, 
to  drag  them  all  by  sheer  force  to  the  edge  of  the 
tower,  and  there  hurl  himself  and  his  captors  to  the 
court  below.  Yes ;  let  the  reader  imagine  himself 
in  a  similar  predicament,  and  he  may  realize  to  some 
small  degree  the  desperate  valour  with  which  Roger 
was  filled,  and  the  reckless  thoughts  which  flowed 
through  his  mind.  "Anything  is  better  than  that 
hideous  altar  and  the  sacrifice,"  he  told  himself;  and 
he  prepared  to  act  up  to  the  thought 

But  the  Mexicans  were  advancing,  and  a  shout 
rang  out  from  the  stairs  below.  It  was  answered 
from  every  quarter  of  the  city,  telling  the  defenders 
that  thousands  were  waiting  to  learn  the  issue,  and 
to  praise  their  comrades  if  successful.  There  was 
movement  on  the  towers  all  round,  seen  by  the  aid 
of  the  fires,  while  a  murmur  came  from  the  courts 
below. 

"  Waiting  for  us,"  said  Roger,  grimly.  "  We 
will  give  them  work  to  do  before  we  are  taken. 
Now,  prepare." 

The  shuffle  of  feet  was  heard  on  the  bricked 
steps,  and  soon  a  number  of  figures  appeared  behind 
the  jars.  But  on  this  occasion  there  was  no  waiting, 
The  Mexicans  commenced  to  creep  between  them, 
while  others  were  hoisted  by  their  comrades  and 
clambered  over  the  top.  They  were  met  with  a 
fusillade  of  bricks,  which  hardly  deterred  them. 
Then  Roger  and  Tamba  silently  leapt  forward  from 
their  dark  nook  behind  the  smaller  tower,  and  fell 
on  the  enemy  with  the  native  swords.  The  sound 
of  their  blows  could  be  easily  heard  at  first,  but  in 
a  minute  the  air  was  filled  with  shrieks  and  cries, 

183 


Roger  the  Bold 


while  a  hoarse  roar  came  from  the  streets  below. 
Three  men  fell  in  as  many  seconds  to  their  blows, 
while  Roger  contrived  to  stun  one  of  the  enemy 
who  was  clambering  over  the  obstacle,  dropping 
him  like  a  stone  on  the  very  top,  where  he  hung 
amidst  the  flowers.  But  others  followed,  and  soon 
it  was  clear  that  the  rush  would  succeed. 

"They  are  getting  too  strong  for  us,"  gasped 
Roger,  during  a  short  pause.  "We  will  try  once 
more,  and  then  if  not  successful  we  will  upset  the 
jars.  When  I  shout,  place  your  foot  against  the  one 
before  you,  and  push  with  all  your  strength.  It  will 
topple  over,  and  in  the  confusion  we  will  rush  down 
upon  them.  Fists  will  then  be  better  than  swords, 
and  I  shall  make  use  of  mine  just  as  I  did  before." 

He  had  hardly  time  for  the  words  before  the 
enemy  came  on  again.  Their  shouts  were  deafen- 
ing, while  there  was  little  doubt  that  their  courage 
was  increased  by  the  clamour  of  their  friends  below. 
This  time  they  swarmed  over  the  huge  vases  of 
flowers,  and  threatened  to  overcome  the  two  defen- 
ders before  they  could  strike  them  down.  The  time 
for  further  action  had  arrived  even  sooner  than 
Roger  had  anticipated,  and  with  a  shout  he  gave  the 
order. 

Cutting  fiercely  at  the  enemy,  he  made  a  path  for 
himself,  while  his  free  arm  clutched  one  of  the  men 
who  was  in  the  act  of  clambering  over.  Then  his 
foot  went  up  to  the  jar,  and  he  threw  all  his  weight 
downward.  The  thing  toppled  over,  and  then  sud- 
denly bounded  down  the  steps,  followed  by  the  one 
which  Tamba  had  taken  in  hand.  But  that  was  not 
sufficient.  Roger  moved  to  the  third,  and  sent  it 
flying.  Then  he  threw  his  sword  over  his  shoulders, 


Roger  at  Bay 

and  leapt  down  the  steps.  But  there  was  no  need 
for  him  to  strike  at  a  single  Mexican,  for  fierce 
though  these  men  were,  and  doughty  fighters  as 
they  had  proved  themselves  to  be  when  opposed  to 
the  Spaniards,  the  sight  of  Roger  brought  fear  to 
their  minds,  and  his  extraordinary  methods  of  war- 
fare astounded  them.  They  were  nonplussed  and 
disheartened,  and  this  last  measure  of  defence  cowed 
them.  Indeed,  fortune  on  this  dark  night  had  been 
on  the  side  of  those  who  held  the  steps,  and  the 
very  vases  aided  them.  Toppling  over,  they 
bounded  down  the  steps,  carrying  some  of  the  men 
with  them.  But  the  last  struck  against  an  edge, 
and  fractured  into  pieces,  the  earth  and  the  plants 
being  shot  out  into  the  enemy.  In  an  instant  Roger 
picked  up  the  larger  pieces,  and  flung  them  after 
the  Mexicans,  while  Tamba  raced  back  for  an  armful 
of  bricks,  and  hurled  them  down  the  steps.  There 
was  a  series  of  loud  bangs,  a  chorus  of  shrieks, 
and  the  Mexicans  were  gone,  their  flight  being 
accelerated  by  the  missiles  which  the  two  above 
poured  upon  their  heads.  Indeed,  once  they  had 
reached  the  court  below  they  raced  to  their  houses, 
saying  that  the  white  man,  the  giant  who  had  come 
amongst  them,  was  a  god  in  no  way  less  than  their 
own  deities. 

"  That  ends  the  trouble  for  to-night,"  said  Roger, 
with  a  hearty  laugh,  for  he  was  beginning  to  regain 
his  assurance,  and  numbers  no  longer  troubled  him 
as  they  had  done  a  few  hours  before.  "We  can 
sit  down  and  rest,  and,  by  the  way,  I  think  I  am 
hungry." 

"  Then  I  will  fetch  food  and  water,  master.  Sit 
here  till  I  return.  I  will  go  to  our  lodgings  quietly, 


Roger  the  Bold 


for  it  will  be  as  well  to  see  how  our  prisoners  are 
behaving." 

He  was  gone  like  a  ghost  again,  for  this  native, 
accustomed  from  his  childhood  to  hunting  and  life  in 
the  forest,  and  being  barefooted,  could  pass  from  one 
spot  to  another  without  so  much  as  a  sound.  Indeed, 
Roger  had  already  learned  much  from  him,  for  he 
had  watched  his  methods  in  the  forest,  when  he 
himself  was  too  weak  to  do  much  more  than  stand 
or  sit.  Tamba  had  an  eagle-like  glance,  an  eye 
which  detected  everything  and  allowed  nothing  to 
pass.  Even  when  creeping  through  the  underwood 
in  search  of  an  enemy,  he  seemed  to  see  the  path  at 
his  knees  as  well  as  the  forest  ahead,  and,  as  if 
intuitively,  felt  and  removed  the  sticks  and  thorns 
in  his  way.  It  was  an  easy  matter,  therefore,  for 
him  to  cross  the  tiled  summit  of  the  tower,  and  no 
one  heard  him,  not  even  the  prisoners,  though  the 
soundof  the  conflict  had  rendered  themalert.  Tamba 
crept  to  the  new  quarters  which  Roger  had  selected, 
and  stared  in  cautiously.  He  found  the  noble  dili- 
gently talking  to  the  priest,  and  the  latter  nodding. 
As  the  native  entered  they  both  looked  up,  and  it 
was  plain  from  their  innocent  expressions  that  they 
had  not  been  plotting. 

"You  have  been  successful  again?"  asked  the 
noble.  "Then  I  am  glad,"  he  added,  as  Tamba 
nodded ;  "  for  it  is  as  well  that  my  countrymen 
should  learn  soon  that  it  is  useless  to  fight  with  such 
a  man.  He  bears  a  charmed  life,  and  is  truly  a  great 
lord,  greater  even  than  this  Malinche  (the  native 
word  for  Cortes).  Tell  me,  have  many  fallen,  have 
many  lost  their  lives?" 

"  None,  I  believe.      We   beat  them   back  with 

186 


Roger  at  Bay 

swords  and  bricks.  Many  are  hurt,  but  they  will 
not  die." 

"  I  am  glad,"  was  the  simple  answer  ;  "  for  then 
the  people  will  be  all  the  more  ready  to  forgive,  to 
forget  the  fighting,  and  accept  this  young  lord  as  a 
friend.  Did  they  but  know  the  use  that  he  will  be 
to  our  arms,  they  would  long  ago  have  welcomed 
him  with  shouts  of  joy.  But  they  thought  him  a 
Spaniard,  just  as  I  did,  and  the  priest  here  also,  and 
those  we  do  not  spare.  Tell  me  how  you  met  with 
this  lord,  and  how  it  is  that  you  are  his  servant." 

Tamba  hastened  to  tell  the  story,  while  he 
gathered  food  and  took  a  bowl  full  of  water. 

"  I  will  send  my  lord,"  he  said,  "  and  he  will  dis- 
cuss this  matter  with  you.  He  will  be  glad  to 
talk." 

A  little  later  he  appeared  at  Roger's  side,  and 
told  him  what  had  occurred. 

"  They  are  desirous  of  making  peace,"  he  said, 
beating  his  hands  together  to  show  his  delight. 
"  The  priest  thinks  now  that  you  are  a  mighty  man, 
even  as  I  do,  my  lord.  Go  to  them.  I  saidthat  you 
would  come  and  talk  this  matter  over.  Perhaps 
when  the  morning  comes  our  danger  will  have 
passed,  and  we  shall  become  the  friends  of  the 
Mexicans." 

The  news  was  excellent,  almost  too  good  to  be 
true,  and  the  relief  to  Roger  was  immense.  He 
gulped  down  the  food  hastily,  and  emptied  the 
bowl  at  a  draught.  Then  he  waited  while  Tamba 
went  for  a  second  supply,  and  having  seen  him 
posted  at  the  head  of  the  stairs,  and  given  strict 
orders  to  him  that  he  was  to  patrol  round  the 
terrace  and  watch  every  side,  he  slipped  off  to  the 

187 


Roger  the  Bold 

little  chamber  in  which  the  two  Mexicans  were 
seated,  and  pushed  the  curtain  aside.  Then  he 
clambered  over  the  forms  which  had  been  placed  to 
barricade  the  door,  and  was  in  the  act  of  seating 
himself  when  the  noble  and  the  priest  rose  to  their 
feet.  The  latter  had  hunted  out  a  tiny  oil  lamp,  and 
this  afforded  sufficient  light  to  show  their  features. 
Roger  noticed  with  a  thrill  that  the  priest  no  longer 
scowled,  and  rubbed  his  elbows,  as  if  to  remind 
himself  of  his  injuries.  He  made  a  deep  obeisance, 
and  spoke  gravely. 

i  "  He  says  that  you  are  a  god,  and  that  after  this 
he  will  obey  your  wishes,"  said  the  noble.  "  He 
speaks  the  words  which  I  also  think.  Surely  you 
are  a  god,  a  different  man  from  these  others  who 
have  come  here  to  hunt  us  for  our  gold,  and  to 
take  us  into  captivity." 

"  Tell  him  that  I  thank  him,  and  am  glad  that  he 
is  prepared  to  be  friendly,"  said  Roger,  simply, 
motioning  them  to  be  seated,  while  he  threw  himself 
on  a  lounge  on  which  the  priest  on  duty  was  wont 
to  rest.  "  Say,  however,  that  I  am  no  god ;  that 
there  is  but  one  God,  the  ruler  of  the  whole 
earth." 

The  noble  nodded  and  repeated  the  words,  at 
which  the  priest  looked  pleased.  Then  they  chatted 
together  for  a  little  while. 

"  It  is  as  we  thought,"  said  the  noble  at  length. 
"  This  Malinche  has  come  to  us  with  a  new  religion, 
and  holds  these  gods  of  ours  in  scorn.  He  would 
do  with  them  as  he  has  done  with  those  of  another 
race  close  to  the  sea  coast,  and  would  force  us  to 
adopt  his  religion,  even  at  the  point  of  his  lances. 
But  we  wait  conviction,  and  we  also  have  something 

188 


Roger  at  Bay 


of  this  religion  ;  for  listen,  Roger."  He  pronounced 
the  word  in  a  strange  accent,  and  looked  our  hero 
earnestly  in  the  eyes.  "  We  also  know  that  there 
is  one  God,  who  cares  for  all,  whoever  «they  may 
be,  but  we  also  believe  that  there  are  others  under 
Him.  We  worship  them,  and  offer  sacrifices  to 
them  because  we  can  see  their  images.  The  idols 
are  before  us,  while  this  other  God  is  invisible.  We 
do  honour  to  Him  through  these  images  which  we 
have  put  on  the  towers,  and  we  also  pay  respect  to 
the  sun.  Let  these  Spaniards  prove  that  this  is 
wrong,  and  we  will  listen  to  their  arguments.  But 
we  will  not  be  forced  into  a  belief  which  we  do  not 
really  feel.  Let  them  show  that  these  sacrifices  are 
wrong."  i 

"  They  are  detestable!"  said  Roger,  with  decision, 
facing  the  two.  "  They  are  undoubtedly  cruel  and 
wrong,  and  some  of  you  will  live  to  believe  that. 
But  I  cannot  talk  of  these  matters.  I  say  that  I  am 
not  a  god,  and  that  I  am  not  a  Spaniard.  I  came  to 
these  parts  with  comrades,  at  the  bidding  of  a 
mighty  king,  and  I  hoped  to  obtain  wealth.  Yes,  I 
admit  that  we  hoped  to  gain  gold  and  jewels,  but 
not  by  force,  except  from  the  Spaniards.  They 
opposed  us  from  the  first,  and  fought  us.  For  that 
we  are  right,  if  we  attack  them  in  return.  As  for 
the  land,  it  should  be  a  fine  thing  for  Mexico  if 
Englishmen  governed  it." 

"  Perhaps  it  will  come  to  that,  Roger,  but  we 
will  speak  of  yourself,  though  in  spite  of  your 
words  we  believe  that  you  are  some  powerful  lord, 
a  noble  in  your  own  land,  if  not  a  god,  who  has 
come  to  aid  us  at  this  critical  time.  When  the 
morning  comes  we  will  speak  to  the  people  and  to 

189 


Roger  the   Bold 

our  king.  We  ask  whether  you  will  trust  us  to 
descend  and  meet  our  comrades?" 

"You  can  go,"  said  Roger,  promptly,  for  they 
had  already  proved  their  intention  to  be  faithful. 
"  I  will  trust  you,  and  will  look  for  your  return.  I 
captured  you  so  that  you  might  remain  in  my  hands 
as  hostages." 

"  And  we  will  return  to  you  for  that  reason,  my 
lord.  We  will  set  out  when  the  sun  has  risen,  and 
will  come  to  you  again  before  the  day  falls.  And 
we  will  send  food  and  water  to  you,  and  clothes  to 
replace  your  own.  Yes,  it  would  be  better  that 
you  should  don  our  dress,"  he  added,  "for  then 
there  will  be  nothing  to  remind  us  of  these  hated 
enemies.  Ah,  you  wonder  why  I  speak  the  tongue, 
and  I  will  tell  you.  Perhaps  I  have  done  my  nation 
a  service  by  doing  so,  however." 

"  It  has  proved  my  salvation,"  answered  Roger, 
warmly.  "  But  how  did  you  learn  ?  Tell  me  when 
you  first  met  these  Spaniards,  and  what  has 
happened." 

"  Wait  till  the  dawn  comes,  my  lord,"  answered 
the  noble  ;  "  then  I  will  speak.  You  have  need  of 
sleep,  and  will  do  well  to  take  it.  To-morrow,  if  my 
words  are  received,  you  will  go  to  the  king,  and  he 
will  show  you  honour.  Then  the  people  will  shout 
and  follow  you  to  your  quarters.  Have  no  fear. 
You  can  sleep  as  if  you  were  surrounded  by  friends." 

Roger  thanked  him,  and  rose  to  rejoin  Tamba. 
He  found  the  latter  softly  patrolling  the  terrace, 
and  listened  to  his  report. 

"Not  a  man  to  be  seen  except  on  the  towers, 
where  priests  have  replenished  the  fires.  The  city 
is  quiet,  and  no  one  else  is  stirring." 

190 


Roger  at  Bay 

"  Then  we  will  take  turns  to  sleep,"  said  Roger. 
"  I  am  tired  with  the  fight,  and  will  lie  down  now. 
Wake  me  in  two  hours,  and  I  will  relieve  you. 
After  that  it  will  be  morning,  and  let  us  hope  that 
it  will  dawn  brightly  for  us." 

He  paced  round  the  terrace,  and  then,  satisfied 
that  all  was  quiet,  stretched  himself  on  the  tiles. 
He  was  an  old  campaigner  now,  for  even  a  matter 
of  three  months  roughing  it  makes  a  man  accept 
hardships  as  trifles.  Roger  had  slept  in  many 
strange  places  since  he  sailed  from  England,  and  a 
bed  beneath  the  trees  of  the  forest,  or  on  the  deck 
of  the  brigantine,  or  on  these  hard  tiles,  came  as 
welcome  to  him  as  would  a  feather  mattress  at 
home.  It  was  therefore  only  a  few  minutes  before 
his  heavy  breathing  told  that  he  was  asleep.  Nor 
did  he  move  till  Tamba  came  to  his  side  and  shook 
him. 

"The  dawn  is  breaking  clear  and  bright,  my 
lord,"  he  said.  "  It  is  time  to  rise  and  take  a  meal." 

"  But  I  meant  to  watch.  I  said  that  I  would 
relieve  you,"  exclaimed  our  hero,  rubbing  the  sleep 
from  his  eyes.  "You  were  tired  too.  Why  did 
you  not  rouse  me  earlier?" 

"  You  had  done  all  the  fighting  and  were  worn 
out,  master,"  was  the  simple  answer.  "  I  am  used 
to  watching  throughout  the  night,  and  the  loss  of 
sleep  is  nothing  to  me.  You  require  your  strength, 
and  it  is  better  that  you  should  rest,  better  for  your- 
self, for  you  are  stronger  to  fight,  and  better  also 
for  me,  because  then  you  are  able  to  protect  me." 

The  argument  silenced  Roger,  though  he  did  not 
forget.  But  it  was  only  another  method  by  which 
the  native  showed  his  devotion.  He  was  a  faithful 

m 


Roger  the  Bold 


fellow,  who  lived  to  serve  this  humble  crossbow 
youth,  and  he  seemed  to  anticipate  every  want. 
Indeed,  when  Roger  had  risen  from  the  tiles  he 
found  a  meal  of  bananas  and  a  bowl  of  water  beside 
him,  and  in  spite  of  the  food  he  had  taken  during  the 
night,  fell  upon  it  hungrily.  Then  he  went  to  the 
edge  of  the  terrace  and  stared  out  at  the  city  of 
Mexico,  tracing  its  boundaries  and  marking  the  via- 
ducts which  led  to  its  heart,  and  the  aqueducts  which 
brought  clear  water  to  the  townspeople,  for  the  lake 
about  the  walls  was  salt  and  unfit  for  drinking  pur- 
poses. We  will  leave  him  there  for  a  little  while, 
for  this  city  was  sufficiently  beautiful  in  these  days 
to  attract  the  eye  by  the  hour  together.  Indeed,  it 
was  a  second  Venice,  rivalling  that  magnificent  city 
by  the  water,  and  justly  laying  claim  to  being  the 
finest  and  the  most  beautiful  city  the  world  could 
produce.  Nor  has  a  better  ever  been  built  since 
old  Mexico  disappeared. 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  coast  for  a  little  while 
and  see  what  fortune  had  befallen  Fernando  Cortes 
after  he  had  sailed  from  Tabasco,  bringing  with  him 
the  native  woman,  Marina,  for  that  was  the  name 
given  to  this  slave  when  she  was  baptized  by  the 
Spaniards.  The  reader  will  remember  that  Cortes 
disembarked  at  a  port  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of 
St.  Juan  de  Ulua,  and  that  there  he  met  with  a 
friendly  reception  from  the  natives,  and  also  received 
envoys  from  the  great  king  Montezuma,  ruler  of  the 
wide  provinces  over  which  the  Mexicans  held  sway. 
He  will  recollect  also  that  this  king  sent  rich  gifts, 
while  forbidding  the  strangers  to  come  nearer  to  his 
city,  and  that,  for  his  own  reasons,  Cortes  defied  the 
order,  and  determined  to  go ;  for  to  have  retired 


Roger  at  Bay 

to  Cuba  would  have  meant  his  ruin,  he  already 
having  disobeyed  orders.  Now  he  showed  the  firm 
material  of  which  he  was  made,  and  also  displayed 
no  small  amount  of  astuteness.  For  it  happened 
that  tales  began  to  filter  into  the  Spanish  camp, 
telling  of  the  huge  armies  of  the  Mexicans,  and  of 
their  ferocity  in  warfare.  These  had  their  effect  in 
time,  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  some  of 
the  soldiers  under  Cortes  began  to  have  fears.  Not 
all  had  his  reasons  for  not  turning  back.  They  could 
come  again,  and  no  punishment  or  disgrace  awaited 
them  in  Cuba.  And  at  length  the  camp  became 
broken  into  two  factions,  one  of  which  went 
with  their  leader,  while  the  other  clamoured  for 
retreat. 

Had  Cortes  declined  to  listen  to  these  men  it  is 
possible  that  he  would  have  made  many  enemies, 
and  that  more  would  have  urged  the  retreat.  But 
he  shewed  his  astuteness  by  hearing  what  they  had 
to  say  and  agreeing  to  go  if  they  so  wished.  He 
even  prepared  for  the  embarkation,  while  he  secretly 
set  his  own  faction  to  work  to  point  out  the  gold 
and  wealth  to  be  obtained,  and  to  hold  before  the 
soldiers  the  honours  they  would  win.  The  plot 
proved  successful,  so  that  at  length  the  malcontents 
approached  him  again  and  urged  him  to  remain.  It 
is  needless  to  tell  how  he  demurred  as  if  he  himself 
wished  to  leave,  and  how  at  length  the  crafty  leader 
consented  to  march  on,  providing  his  actions  were 
duly  set  down  on  paper  for  the  information  of  those 
athome.  Hedeclaredthe  conditions  of  the  expedition 
altered,  and  had  a  new  set  of  rules  drawn  up.  Then, 
having  shifted  his  base  a  little  higher  up  the  coast 
to  a  port  to  which  was  given  the  name  of  Vera  Cruz, 

(B  666)  193  N 


Roger  the  Bold 


he  stripped  the  ships  of  their  canvas  and  cordage 
and  of  all  that  they  possessed  in  the  way  of  guns  and 
stores,  and  had  them  destroyed.  He  burnt  his  boats 
behind  him,  made  escape  impossible,  and  left  death 
or  victory  alone  to  stare  his  men  in  the  face.  Never 
was  there  a  more  reckless  or  a  more  astute  action, 
reckless  because  of  his  paucity  of  numbers  and  the 
overwhelming  armies  of  the  enemy,  and  astute 
because  there  was  now  no  turning  back,  there  was 
no  retreating ;  the  only  course  was  a  forward  one, 
in  the  direction  of  Mexico. 

And  now  to  tell  briefly  how  it  happened  that 
circumstances  played  into  the  hands  of  the  adven- 
turer, Fernando  Cortes.  It  has  already  been  told 
how  the  Mexicans  were  accustomed  to  battle  with 
their  neighbours  with  the  sole  object  of  obtaining 
prisoners  who  would  serve  as  a  sacrifice  to  their 
hideous  deities,  and  how  these  fierce  fighters  entered 
the  struggle  with  the  intention  of  killing  as  few  as 
possible  and  of  capturing  many.  Their  opponents 
very  naturally  did  all  that  was  possible  to  slay  the 
Mexicans  and  escape.  They  themselves  were  not 
so  addicted  to  the  human  sacrifice  as  were  the  men 
of  Mexico,  and  the  fate  of  the  prisoners  naturally 
made  them  fight  with  ferocity.  But  Mexico  was 
strong.  She  had  for  very  many  years  had  a  triple 
alliance,  and  her  two  allies  were  the  Tezcucans  and 
the  small  kingdom  of  Tlacopan,  all  at  that  time 
situated  in  the  valley  in  which  the  lakes  lay.  When 
first  this  alliance  was  formed  none  of  the  three 
states  was  at  all  strong,  and  there  was  another  race 
which  dominated  them.  But  the  three  together, 
once  they  had  settled  their  differences  and  made 
friends,  became  a  very  powerful  force,  so  much  so 

Utt 


Roger  at  Bay 

that  they  soon  conquered  this  other  race,  and  sub- 
jected it  entirely.  That  done,  they  went  to  war  with 
all  the  other  states  in  the  valley — for  this  fertile  spot 
was  thickly  populated — and  subjected  their  enemies, 
when  they  began  to  go  farther  afield,  so  much  so 
that  Mexico  claimed  a  kingdom  stretching  from 
Atlantic  to  Pacific.  Her  numerous  vassal  states  paid 
her  tribute  in  specie  and  in  slaves,  and  human  toll 
was  taken  of  all  to  satisfy  their  morbid  craving  for 
sacrificing. 

It  was  at  this  juncture,  when  the  taxes  imposed 
were  becoming  too  burdensome,  when  the  same 
melancholy  was  beginning  to  settle  down  upon  these 
remoter  states,  that  Fernando  Cortes  and  his  ridicu- 
lously small  force  arrived,  and  making  friends  with 
the  Cempoalans,  a  coast  tribe  of  large  proportions, 
advised  them  to  refuse  their  usual  tribute.  He  set 
them  an  example  by  seizing  Montezuma's  collectors. 
That  done  he  determined  to  check  the  abominable 
practice  of  human  sacrifice,  which  the  Cempoalans 
indulged  in  to  a  minor  degree.  He  raided  their 
temples  and  destroyed  their  divinities,  and  when 
they  would  have  rushed  to  arms  and  attacked  him, 
he  seized  their  cacique  and  the  chiefs,  and  threatened 
to  kill  them  if  there  was  trouble.  That  pacified  them, 
for  the  Cempoalans  were  beginning  to  feel  as  much 
respect  for  this  strong  man  who  had  so  unexpectedly 
come  amongst  them  as  they  had  felt  for  centuries  for 
their  gods.  They  fell  in  with  his  wishes,  white- 
washed their  temples,  removed  all  trace  of  sacrifice, 
and  set  up  crosses.  Then  their  own  priests  took 
charge  of  the  new  temples.  Finally,  he  received 
the  nation  of  Cempoalans  as  vassals  to  the  king 
of  Spain,  a  king  whose  orders,  given  through  his 

195 


Roger  the  Bold 


governor  of  Cuba,  he  himself  had  directly  dis- 
regarded. 

He  was  now  in  possession  of  allies,  and  set  off 
for  Mexico.  His  first  march  was  to  Tlascala,  where 
he  met  with  much  opposition,  and  at  one  time  had 
some  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  adversaries  con- 
fronting him.  But  his  horses  and  the  superior 
armour  of  his  men,  together  with  the  supernatural 
power  with  which  he  and  all  from  Spain  were  now 
accredited,  aided  him  in  defeating  them,  and  in  a  little 
while  he  induced  these  people  to  become  his  allies. 

His  next  march  was  to  Cholula,  far  down  in  the 
valley,  where  he  learned,  by  the  help  of  Marina,  that 
there  was  a  plot  afoot  whereby  twenty  thousand 
Mexicans  were  to  fall  upon  his  troops  in  the  streets. 
Cortes  took  means  to  punish  the  people  summarily, 
and  no  sooner  had  he  made  his  preparations,  than 
he  and  his  men  attacked  the  Cholulans,  and  mas- 
sacred very  many.  It  was  a  cruel  and  a  severe 
lesson,  and  it  helped  to  bring  home  to  all  the  valley 
the  fact  that  a  troublesome  time  was  come,  and  that 
the  strangers  were  likely  to  prove  strong.  Indeed, 
Fernando  Cortes  behaved  as  if  he  had  an  army  of 
many  thousands,  and  as  if  he  were  aware  that  none 
could  stay  his  march.  His  astuteness  had  gained 
for  him  huge  numbers  of  allies,  but  these  were  still 
insufficient  to  quell  the  nation  of  Mexicans,  who 
would  be  joined  by  their  allies.  However,  the 
Spaniard  did  not  falter.  He  had  declared  that  he 
would  march  to  Mexico,  and  see  this  Montezuma 
and  his  riches,  and  march  he  did,  right  to  the  city, 
passing  through  many  towns  of  larger  dimensions 
than  any  to  be  seen  in  Spain,  and  seeing  buildings 
and  streets,  the  like  of  which  he  and  his  men  had 

196 


Roger  at  Bay 

never  even  imagined.  Then,  too,  on  every  side  there 
were  signs  of  industry  going  hand-in-hand  with  this 
hideous  sacrifice  of  human  beings.  Every  foot  of 
earth  was  carefully  tilled,  houses  were  well  and 
securely  built,  and  the  tribes  were  governed  in  the 
most  orderly  manner.  They  had  their  priests,  their 
judges,  and  their  officers  of  the  crown.  Then,  too, 
they  had  their  historians,  for  though  the  Mexicans 
knew  no  alphabet,  they  put  down  their  meaning  by 
signs  and  pictures,  and  there  was  a  college  for  the 
training  of  picture  writers,  an  art  now  entirely 
lost.  In  fact,  Cortes  had  arrived  in  a  country 
where  dwelt  a  marvellous  people,  infinitely  more 
civilized  than  he  could  have  expected,  and  par- 
ticularly when  compared  with  the  natives  of  Cuba 
and  adjacent  isles.  And  these  tribes  had  beautiful 
cities,  excellent  houses,  an  almost  perfect  admini- 
stration, and  a  system  of  labour  which  provided 
work  for  all.  There  were  no  beggars,  and  all  lived 
and  fared  well.  In  fact,  luxuries  were  common 
throughout  the  land  ruled  over  by  Montezuma, 
while  it  is  reported  of  that  monarch  that  he  dined 
off  fresh  fish,  received  within  twenty-four  hours  of 
the  catching,  from  a  port  two  hundred  miles  away. 
It  may  be  wondered  how  such  a  thing  was  possible, 
when  no  animal  of  any  description  was  used  for 
work.  But  the  system  of  runners  or  couriers  before 
alluded  to  made  the  matter  possible,  and  helped  to 
prove  to  Cortes  that  these  Mexicans  were  indeed  a 
wonderful  nation. 

The  Spaniards  entered  Mexico  peacefully,  and 
were  received  by  Montezuma  and  by  his  people 
with  awe,  for  now  another  circumstance  came  to  help 
them.  It  happened  that  among  the  superstitions 

197 


Roger  the  Bold 


of  the  race  was  one  concerning  the  god  of  air, 
called  Quetzalcoatl,  who  was  supposed  to  be 
chiefly  instrumental  in  teaching  the  arts  of  metal- 
working,  the  methods  of  good  government,  and  many 
other  matters  which  aided  in  keeping  the  state 
successful  and  prosperous.  This  god  had  dis- 
appeared ;  it  was  said  he  had  gone  to  the  coast,  to 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  had  there  taken  his  place  in 
a  skiff  made  of  serpents'  skins.  He  had  sailed  away, 
promising  to  return  with  his  descendants.  Report 
said  of  him  that  he  was  tall,  had  a  white  skin  and  a 
flowing  beard,  with  long  hair  over  his  shoulders. 
What  wonder  if  this  superstitious  nation  took 
Fernando  for  the  god  of  air,  and  received  him  with 
joy !  He  had  shown  his  superiority  by  disobeying 
the  orders  of  Montezuma,  a  fact  sufficient  to  declare 
him  a  superior  being.  He  was  white,  and  if  not 
tall,  he  was  moderately  so.  The  description  fitted 
the  Spanish  leader  sufficiently  well,  while  Mexican 
superstition  and  the  chatter  of  the  priests  did  the 
rest.  Fernando  was  received  with  joy.  Thousands 
of  richly-dressed  nobles  crossed  the  viaduct  to  meet 
him,  while  Montezuma  even  came  some  way  to  do 
him  honour.  Quarters  were  assigned  to  the  force, 
while  their  allies  remained  within  call  outside  the 
city.  Cortes  had  accomplished  his  desire;  he  had 
come  to  Mexico,  and  we  shall  learn  in  due  course 
how  his  boldness  was  rewarded. 


198 


CHAPTER  XI 
News  of  Fernando  Cortes 

ROGER  DE  LUCE  sat  on  the  terrace  of  the 
great  temple,  where  dwelt  the  fierce  and 
remorseless  god  of  war,  and  looked  down  upon 
Mexico,  the  delightful  city  nestling  on  the  bosom  of 
the  lake.  From  his  elevated  perch  he  could  com- 
mand every  cranny,  see  the  outline  of  the  enormous 
square  dedicated  to  the  priests,  the  huge  palace  in 
which  the  king  lived,  and  the  market.  Then  he 
followed  the  orderly  streets,  noticing  that  some  had 
broad  pavements,  while  some  were  composed  of 
canals  communicating  with  the  lake,  while  yet 
others  had  pathway  and  canal,  allowing  the  foot 
passengers  to  chat  with  those  in  the  skiffs. 
Thousands  of  the  latter  were  about,  plying  amongst 
the  houses  or  on  the  lake.  From  the  roof-tops 
came  the  smoke  of  many  a  fire,  mingling  with  that 
from  the  altars.  And  the  gardens  were  a  delight. 
They  stretched  on  every  roof,  scarlet,  and  pink,  and 
mauve,  and  the  finest  green.  They  floated  on  the 
water  of  the  lake— actually  floated— for  the  Mexicans 
loved  their  flowers,  and  made  up  for  lack  of  space 
by  tying  withies  together,  and  covering  them  with 
reeds  and  earth.  These  were  anchored  in  the  lake, 
and  arranged  as  gardens. 

199 


Roger  the  Bold 


Roger  could  even  catch  the  sparkle  of  the  water 
as  it  flowed  through  the  aqueducts  on  its  way  from 
the  country  outside,  and  was  marvelling  at  the 
ingenuity  displayed  in  bringing  it  to  the  city  in  this 
manner,  when  some  one  touched  his  shoulder,  and 
he  turned  to  find  the  priest  and  the  noble.  Both 
bowed  low,  as  before,  casting  their  eyes  down  as  he 
looked  at  them. 

"We  ask  you  to  fulfil  your  promise,"  said  the 
latter.  "  It  is  time  that  some  one  went  to  the  people, 
and  we  propose  that  the  priest  should  first  descend. 
Later  on,  when  he  has  returned  to  this  spot,  I  will 
go  to  the  king,  and  he  will  come  to  do  you  honour. 
He,  too,  will  see  his  mistake.  We  shall  all  be  glad 
to  admit  that  we  have  placed  this  Malinche  in  the 
wrong  position.  That  he  is  no  god  of  air  as  we 
thought.  We  shall  rejoice  that  you  have  come  at 
such  a  time  to  help  us." 

He  bowed  again,  while  the  priest  followed  his 
action  with  the  utmost  humility.  Roger  stamped 
his  foot  and  flushed  with  vexation. 

"  It  is  hard  luck  that  I  should  be  treated  with 
more  bobs  and  curtsies  than  King  Harry  at  home," 
he  said  in  English.  "  No  matter  how  often  I  repeat 
it,  these  fellows  will  take  me  for  one  of  their  gods. 
I  suppose  it  is  the  result  of  being  so  tall." 

It  was  undoubtedly  partly  due  to  that,  for  Roger 
overtopped  any  one  in  Mexico.  But  Nature  had 
given  him  a  pleasant  appearance  and  much  courage, 
all  of  which  played  upon  the  imagination  of  the 
people.  Then  none  had  ever  seen  such  a  combat  as 
had  taken  place  on  the  previous  evening.  It  seemed 
incredible  that  one  so  young  could  oppose  so  many. 
The  success  of  the  defence  and  the  novel  methods 

200 


News  of  Fernando  Cortes 

employed  had  convinced  the  Mexican  priest  that 
Roger  was  the  god  of  air,  the  very  one  who  was 
supposed  to  have  returned  in  the  person  of  Fer- 
nando Cortes.  And  the  supposition  explained  why 
Roger  was  an  enemy  of  the  Spaniards.  The  latter 
had  proved  cruel  and  grasping,  and  had  long  ago 
shown  that  they  were  impostors,  and  had  nothing  to 
do  with  the  god  of  air.  Then  this  Roger  must  be  he ; 
and  the  priest  prepared  to  descend  and  tell  the 
people. 

"  They  will  believe  me,"  he  said  to  the  noble. 
"  There  can  be  no  doubt.  This  youth  has  no  fear. 
When  danger  comes  he  stands  to  his  full  height,  and 
watches.  None  could  drag  him  to  the  ground, 
while  at  the  touch  of  his  hand  men  fell  with  a  crash. 
We  must  show  our  friendship,  for  there  is  now  no 
mistake.  Have  I  his  permission  to  go?" 

"  He  will  trust  you.  You  will  return  when  you 
have  spoken,  and  then  I  will  go  to  the  palace.  Have 
you  anything  to  say  before  you  leave?" 

"  Nothing,  save  that  I  crave  the  pardon  of  this 
gallant  youth." 

The  priest  evidently  meant  every  word.  He  had 
been  brought  up  in  the  precincts  of  the  temple,  and 
superstition  was  engrafted  in  his  mind.  It  was, 
therefore,  only  natural  that  he  should  think  of 
Roger  as  he  did,  and  ask  for  his  pardon.  The 
noble  repeated  the  words  and  the  request. 

"Tell  him  there  is  nothing  to  forgive  on  my 
side,  but  that  I  am  sorry  if  I  hurt  him.  Ask  him 
how  he  feels,  and  whether  I  did  much  damage." 

"  He  is  well,"  was  the  answer.  "  He  has  no  pain, 
and  was  well  punished.  He  may  go." 

The  priest  gathered  his  black  garments  about 
201 


Roger  the  Bold 


him  and  hobbled  to  the  steps,  for  despite  his  asser- 
tion to  the  contrary  he  still  felt  the  effects  of  the 
toss  which  our  young  giant  had  given  him.  Then 
he  disappeared  from  sight,  to  be  seen  again  as  he 
gradually  circled  the  tower  in  his  descent. 

"  Men  are  coming  to  meet  him,  and  they  are 
shamefaced,"  said  the  noble,  looking  over  the  edge. 
"  There  will  be  sorrow  in  Mexico  when  the  full  tale 
is  learned,  and  afterwards  there  will  be  rejoicing. 
Will  my  lord  eat?  I  will  stand  beside  him,  and 
any  question  that  he  may  care  to  ask  I  will  answer." 

Roger  had  already  satisfied  his  appetite,  but  his 
hunger  for  news  was  far  from  appeased,  and  for 
long  he  kept  the  noble  beside  him,  telling  him  the 
names  of  the  streets  and  of  the  town  at  various 
parts  of  the  lakes.  Then  he  suddenly  turned  and 
reminded  him  of  his  promise  of  the  previous  evening. 

"  Where  are  these  Spaniards  ?  "  he  asked.  "  You 
have  said  that  they  came  to  Mexico.  Then  where 
are  they  now,  for  I  see  no  sign  of  them  in  the  city." 

"You  can  see  traces  of  their  going,  my  lord. 
Look  there,  and  there  also." 

The  noble  took  Roger's  arm  and  attracted  his 
attention  to  the  causeway. 

"  Watch  the  line  of  the  masonry  and  trace  it  to 
the  bank  from  the  heart  of  the  city,"  he  said.  "  Can 
you  not  see  that  it  is  broken,  and  that  men  are  now 
labouring  to  repair  the  injury?  That  is  where  the 
fight  took  place.  Yes,  my  lord,  we  showed  them  at 
length  that  we  could  fight,  and  we  drove  them  out. 
Many 'lie  beneath  the  water,  or  are  covered  by 
the  fallen  bricks,  while  their  allies  were  slain  in 
thousands." 

"Then  there  has  been  a  battle?"  exclaimed 
202 


News  of  Fernando  Cortes 

Roger,  in  astonishment,  for  he  had  had  no  informa- 
tion. "And  you  have  defeated  the  Spaniards?  " 

"Defeated  them  and  driven  them  beyond  the 
valley.  We  took  them  for  gods  at  first.  Their 
boldness  amazed  us,  and  the  late  king  Montezuma 
had  faith  in  them.  He  was  too  good  and  too  kind, 
and  these  men  preyed  upon  him.  They  induced 
him  to  swear  vassalage  to  their  own  king,  and  after- 
wards took  him  to  the  quarters  which  he  had  had 
prepared  for  them,  saying  that  they  would  hold 
him  as  hostage.  And  we  lived  close  at  hand  and 
did  not  move." 

The  announcement  almost  took  our  hero's  breath 
away.  It  seemed  incredible  that  four  or  five  hundred 
strangers  with  their  native  allies  could  dare  to  do 
such  a  thing.  And  yet  it  had  actually  occurred. 
This  Fernando  Cortes  had  already  showed  both 
boldness  and  astuteness,  and  when  in  Mexico  he 
displayed  both  qualities.  He  took  advantage  of 
Mexican  superstition,  to  which  the  whole  nation 
were  abject  slaves,  and  he  actually  persuaded 
Montezuma,  a  king  who  was  feared  by  millions  of 
subjects  and  vassals,  to  declare  himself  a  vassal  of 
a  king  whom  he  had  never  seen,  and  to  come  to  the 
Spanish  quarters  as  a  hostage  for  the  safety  of  the 
Spaniards,  or  on  some  such  feeble  excuse.  Such 
boldness  was  almost  ludicrous  ;  it  was  impudence. 
But  we  have  to  remember  the  circumstances,  and 
that  a  Western  nation  were  here  treating  with  a 
people  who  had  never  heard  of  Europe,  and  to  whom 
their  own  religion  was  of  supreme  importance. 

"Yes,"  continued  the  noble  bitterly,  "we  lived 
at  hand  and  did  not  stir ;  we  made  no  effort  to  bring 
him  back.  But  let  me  give  you  my  name.  I  am 

203 


Roger  the   Bold 


Teotlili,  and  was  selected  at  the  first  to  act  as  envoy 
to  these  strangers.  I  went  to  the  coast  at  the  order 
of  Montezuma  to  meet  these  men,  and  from  my 
intercourse  with  them,  and  my  conversation  with 
Marina,  their  woman  slave,  I  learned  to  speak  the 
language.  For  they  remained  on  the  coast  for  a 
long  time,  founding  their  town  of  Vera  Cruz.  It 
was  there  that  I  took  them  a  number  of  presents, 
amongst  them  the  image  of  the  sun,  which  was 
composed  of  pure  gold." 

Roger  pricked  up  his  ears.  "  Had  it  a  sketch  of 
this  city  on  one  side  and  the  sun  on  the  other?"  he 
demanded. 

"  You  know  it — you  have  heard  the  tale  then  ?  " 
exclaimed  Teotlili,  in  astonishment.  "  How  is  that, 
then?  I  thought  that  the  matter  was  almost  a 
secret.  But  then  I  am  forgetting.  It  is  only  to  be 
expected  that  you  should  have  heard." 

Roger  was  mystified.  "  Heard  what  ? "  he  de- 
manded hotly.  "  I  know  about  the  disc  of  course, 
for  it  brought  me  and  my  friends  out  to  this  part ; 
and  I  have  seen  the  sketch  of  the  city.  It  seems 
exact." 

"You  have  seen  it.  Then  where?"  demanded 
the  noble,  showing  unusual  excitement.  "  Tell  me, 
my  lord,  where  was  it  that  you  saw  the  disc?" 

"  In  England  first  of  all,  and  recently  within  fifty 
miles,  or  perhaps  a  little  more,  of  Mexico.  It  was 
sent  home  to  Spain  by  Fernando  Cortes,  this 
Malinche,  as  you  call  him,  and  some  men  of 
another  nation,  captured  the  ship,  and  were  in  turn 
captured  by  our  sailors.  The  disc  came  into  posses- 
sion of  one  of  the  sailors  who  came  here  with 
us,  and  it  was  the  sight  of  it,  and  the  news  of 

204 


News  of  Fernando  Cortes 

discoveries,  and  of  gold  in  these  parts,  that  brought 
about  the  formation  of  our  expedition  and  our  sail- 
ing here.  I  told  you  that  I  was  no  god.  I  am  a 
simple  crossbow  man,  and  can  fight  if  driven  to  it. 
Like  the  Spaniards,  we  desire  riches ;  but  we  shall 
not  take  them  from  you  in  such  a  manner.  We  do 
not  desire  to  destroy  your  city,  though  if  you  care 
to  form  an  alliance  with  our  king  you  can  do  so. 
Our  main  purpose  out  here  is  to  obtain  gold  and 
jewels,  to  return  home  with  a  rich  harvest." 

"  Could  you  give  anything  in  return  ?  Could  you 
get  comrades  to  aid  us,  or  give  us  your  own  help  ? 
My  lord,  we  need  a  leader — a  cacique.  We  are  not 
skilled  in  the  class  of  fighting  practised  by  these 
Spaniards.  Their  horses  overcome  us,  and  their 
lances  kill  before  we  can  get  to  close  quarters. 
Then  who  can  sever  the  tough  material  of  which 
their  clothing  is  made  ?  It  is  of  some  metal  which 
breaks  our  swords,  and  turns  aside  every  blow ! " 

For  a  little  while  the  noble  looked  closely  at 
Roger,  and  it  was  obvious  that  he  was  thinking. 
Then  he  began  to  speak  again,  earnestly,  and  in  low 
tones,  so  that  Tamba  could  not  hear. 

"  Would  you  fight  for  us  ?  "  he  asked.  "  As  I 
have  said,  we  need  a  leader  who  knows  these 
Spanish  methods,  and  we  are  prepared  to  give  a 
handsome  reward  to  any  one  who  can  help  us,  and 
who  will  accept  the  post  of  cacique  or  chief.  You 
can  fight.  Have  you  not  proved  it  to  us  ?  Have 
you  not  faced  us  all  boldly,  and  beaten  us  too  ? 
Then  will  you  help,  and  in  return  you  shall  have  a 
prize  which  will  amply  repay  ?  Yes,  if  successful, 
enough  gold  and  jewels  shall  be  given  to  you  to 
make  you  and  your  friends  rich  for  life,  and  to 

205 


Roger  the  Bold 

require  a  hundred  men  to  carry  to  the  coast ;  while 
if  the  Spaniards  get  the  better  of  us  and  drive  us 
from  this  fair  city,  our  stores  of  gold  will  be  useless 
to  us,  and  you  can  have  all  that  there  is.  But  you 
must  produce  the  disc  of  gold.  For  listen " 

He  moistened  his  lips,  while  Roger  sat  forward, 
staring  at  him  in  amazement,  while  the  thought  and 
the  mention  of  riches  led  him  to  wonder  how  his 
friends  were  faring,  and  whether  it  would  not  be 
possible  to  bring  them  to  Mexico.  Failing  that,  he 
would  endeavour  to  earn  this  reward,  and  take  back 
to  the  brigantine  a  sufficient  sum  to  make  the  voyage 
a  success,  and  to  satisfy  all  parties  concerned  with 
its  preparation.  Suddenly  the  noble  interrupted 
him  as  he  was  puzzling  about  the  disc,  and  wonder- 
ing what  it  could  have  to  do  with  the  treasure. 

"You  must  produce  this  disc,"  he  said  quietly, 
lifting  a  finger  to  impress  his  words.  "  But  to  tell 
you  why,  I  must  relate  more  of  these  adventurers 
who  came  to  us,  domineered  here,  and  captured  our 
king — the  wise  and  gentle  Montezuma.  They  asked 
for  gold,  and  were  given  an  enormous  pile,  amount- 
ing to  a  fortune  in  their  own  country,  so  Marina  has 
told  me.  But  they  demanded  more,  and  we  had  none 
to  give;  for  listen  again,  my  lord,  this  disc  com- 
mands the  key  to  the  treasury.  We  have  little  or 
no  need  of  gold  or  jewels  in  this  country,  and  we 
prize  them  most  as  ornaments.  They  do  not  pass 
as  money,  as  with  these  Spaniards,  for  our  currency 
is  composed  of  maize  and  cocoa-beans.  For  very 
many  years  different  races  have  lived  in  this  beau- 
tiful valley,  and  they  have  gathered  gold,  some 
from  the  valley  alone,  while  many  have  collected  it 
from  the  states  in  the  province  which  we  now 

206 


News  of  Fernando  Cortes 

control.  Thus,  for  seven  hundred  years,  as  you 
people  speak  of  time,  and  even  perhaps  for  longer, 
the  treasure  has  been  increasing.  We  who  are 
Aztecs  found  it  here  when  we  came  two  hundred 
years  ago,  and  we  have  gathered  a  hoard  in  that 
time.  Of  our  store  we  set  aside  enough  for  all  needs, 
and  the  remainder  was  secreted  by  the  priests,  for 
the  day  may  come  when  Mexico  may  need  more. 
Our  customs  may  change,  and  it  might  happen  that 
gold  would  take  the  place  of  the  cocoa-bean.  The 
fact  remains  that  the  priests  stored  away  a  huge 
treasure,  and  that  they  alone  knew  of  its  where- 
abouts. So  that  none  should  tamper  with  the  hoard, 
the  priest  to  whom  it  was  handed,  and  who  died 
more  than  a  hundred  years  ago,  caused  a  plan  to  be 
made  in  gold,  so  that  those  who  followed  might 
know  of  the  spot.  The  plan  was  engraved  on  a 
disc,  on  which  was  also  an  image  of  the  sun,  such 
as  our  metal-workers  are  in  the  habit  of  making, 
and  the  disc  was  handed  down  from  one  priest  to 
another.  Now  listen  carefully  to  the  end  of  this 
tale.  In  his  generosity  of  heart  Montezuma  sent 
rich  presents  with  me  to  the  coast,  so  as  to  pacify 
these  marauders,  though  instead  the  gold  attracted 
them.  The  priests  prepared  the  gifts,  and  arranged 
for  the  bearers,  for  their  duties  in  the  city  are  many. 
Somehow,  I  know  not  in  what  manner,  this  very 
disc  was  included,  and  handed  by  me  to  Malinche. 
You  say  that  that  disc  was  captured  twice,  and  that 
it  returned  here  to  the  country.  Surely  that  is  a 
marvellous  happening !  And  if  your  friends  possess 
it  you  will  be  able  to  recover  it  from  them.  Then 
the  priest  who  has  the  secret,  and  can  read  the 
picture,  will  tell  where  the  treasure  is,  and  you  will 

207 


Roger  the  Bold 


be  given  the  reward.  All  seems  to  work  favourably 
for  our  ends." 

"  But  the  disc  is  not  in  our  possession,"  ex- 
claimed Roger,  aghast  at  the  calamity  which  had 
happened  to  him  when  it  had  been  stolen  by  Alvarez. 
"  We  picked  up  a  Spaniard  on  the  way  out,  and  he 
stole  it  from  me.  Look,  here  is  the  treacherous 
wound  he  dealt  me." 

He  bared  his  shoulder  and  showed  the  scar  where 
the  dagger  had  entered. 

"  We  treated  him  as  a  friend  and  a  comrade,"  he 
said  bitterly,  "  and  he  repaid  us  in  this  manner.  He 
has  the  disc  now,  and  for  aught  I  know  is  with  his 
comrades.  This  Malinch£,  as  you  call  him,  must 
have  heard  of  the  disc  and  its  secret,  and  he 
offered  a  reward.  This  fellow  will  have  sought  it 
already." 

"  If  he  has  not  kept  the  disc  and  the  fact  that  he 
has  it  from  his  comrades,  my  lord,"  said  Teotlili. 
"  He  might  have  done  that.  These  Spaniards  live 
for  gold,  as  I  can  swear,  for  I  saw  many  here  die  for  it. 
They  sacrificed  their  lives  by  carrying  a  weight  of  it 
when,  had  they  been  free  of  the  burden,  they  might 
have  lived.  This  man — a  crafty  and  unscrupulous 
cheat,  I  should  esteem  him — will  think  not  of  the 
reward  for  the  disc,  but  of  the  riches  which  the 
secret  may  bring  him.  He  will  hide  it,  and  when 
the  Spaniards  come  here  again,  as  they  will,  I  am 
assured,  he  will  endeavour  to  worm  out  the  secret, 
and  discover  the  treasure.  Then,  as  the  first-comer, 
he  will  have  the  choice,  and  since  jewels  are  more 
valuable  than  gold,  and  lighter  to  bear,  he  might 
within  an  hour  secure  more  wealth  than  all  these 
comrades  of  his  put  together.  He  must  be  captured, 

208 


News  of  Fernando  Cortes 

my  lord.  Upon  his  death  and  the  return  of  the 
disc  depends  your  reward." 

"  Then  I  will  take  him,"  answered  Roger,  quietly, 
after  a  few  moments'  silence.  "  I  have  sworn  to 
punish  him  for  the  treacherous  blow  he  dealt  me, 
and  now  that  I  hear  of  the  importance  of  the  disc, 
I  will  redouble  my  efforts ;  for  I  do  not  desire  this 
reward  so  much  for  myself  as  for  the  ship's  company, 
and  for  those  who  sent  us  out.  It  is  only  right  that 
we  should  do  all  that  is  possible  to  repay  them,  and 
any  wealth  that  we  may  obtain  will  be  divided. 
But,  in  any  case,  until  I  can  return  to  my  comrades 
I  shall  help  you  to  prepare  for  the  Spaniards.  Let 
all  this  excitement  die  down,  and  an  assurance  be 
given  me  that  no  attempt  will  be  made  to  sacrifice 
me,  or  Tamba,  and  I  will  help.  I  would  wish  also 
that  your  people  would  promise  never  to  kill  one 
human  being  for  the  sake  of  those  hideous  idols." 

The  noble  looked  pained  for  a  few  seconds, 
while  he  stared  out  at  the  city. 

"We  have  been  brought  up  from  childhood  to 
this  belief,"  he  said  sadly,  "and  we  cannot  break 
ourselves  of  it  all  in  a  moment.  If  it  is  wrong,  and 
we  are  shown  so  clearly,  then  as  sensible  beings  we 
shall  change,  and  for  myself  I  shall  be  glad.  For 
there  is  constant  bloodshed  here.  The  altar  reeks 
of  it,  and  we  never  know  when  our  dearest  and  best 
will  be  summoned.  But  we  will  not  be  driven. 
These  Spaniards  have  done  with  us  what  no  others 
would  have  dared  to  attempt.  They  took  Monte- 
zuma  as  a  hostage,  while  we  knew  him  only  as  a 
powerful  king,  swaying  the  people  from  here  for 
many  miles,  till  the  sea  is  reached  on  either  hand. 
We  dared  not  look  into  his  face,  but  always  turned 

(B  6««)  209  O 


Roger  the  Bold 


our  eyes  to  the  wall.  And  these  barbarians  came 
and  took  him.  Then  they  gathered  the  gold,  and, 
having  our  chief  and  head,  ruled  us.  They  cast  our 
idols  down  from  the  towers,  and  ordered  that  there 
should  be  no  more  sacrifice.  Then  this  Malinche 
went  to  the  coast ;  for  it  happened  that  eighteen 
ships  arrived,  bearing  a  second  expedition.  While  he 
was  gone,  his  lieutenant  attacked  us  treacherously, 
and  we  drove  him  and  his  followers  into  their 
quarters.  Then  Malinche  returned,  and  we  con- 
tinued to  fight,  till  our  unhappy  king  fell  at  the 
discharge  of  our  arrows.  We  slew  many  of  the 
Spaniards  and  their  allies,  and  we  never  left  them 
at  peace  for  a  moment.  Our  arrows  flew  over  their 
quarters  day  and  night,  while  our  labourers  broke 
down  the  viaducts  so  that  none  could  come  or  go, 
and  no  food  or  water  reach  the  garrison.  Look,  my 
lord,  there,  where  the  men  are  now  at  work,  is  the 
spot  where  the  viaduct  was  cut." 

He  pointed  to  a  spot  to  which  he  had  previously 
drawn  Roger's  attention,  while  the  latter  noticed 
that  not  only  was  this  viaduct  under  repair,  but  that 
others  also  had  been  damaged.  In  fact,  Cortes  had 
barely  returned  in  time.  His  call  to  the  coast  had 
been  an  urgent  one,  for  the  reader  must  remember 
that  he  was  already  in  danger  himself  from  the  party 
in  authority  at  Cuba.  He  was  to  all  intents  and 
purposes  a  political  offender  awaiting  arrest,  and 
this  expedition  had  come  to  take  the  command  from 
him,  and  to  snatch  the  fruits  of  his  hard  work  and 
daring.  That  was  hardly  suitable,  and  Cortes  having 
first  sent  secret  gifts  to  the  soldiers,  fell  upon  the 
troops  in  the  darkness  of  night,  captured  their 
cannon,  and  those  who  were  his  opponents.  At 

210 


News  of  Fernando  Cortes 

that  the  remainder  went  over  to  his  side,  and  agreed 
to  follow  him  as  leader.  Then  he  returned  to  Mexico 
to  find  the  natives  risen  and  his  troops  surrounded. 

"  We  fought  so  fiercely,  and  hemmed  them  in  so 
closely,  that  they  were  like  to  starve  or  die  of  thirst," 
continued  Teotlili.  "They  were  outnumbered  by 
many  thousands,  and  at  length  they  stole  away  in 
the  darkness,  carrying  their  treasure  with  them. 
That  was  our  opportunity.  Our  soldiers  crowded 
the  viaduct,  and  our  men  were  everywhere  on  the 
lake  in  their  boats.  We  clutched  them  and  dragged 
them  beneath  the  water.  Some  we  upset,  and  the 
weight  of  gold  dragged  them  down,  while  others 
lost  their  lives  at  the  spot  where  we  had  broken  the 
bridges  or  the  masonry.  We  read  them  a  lesson, 
and  sent  them  out  of  our  valley  discomfited,  and 
punished  in  some  measure  for  the  wrong  they  had 
done  us.  But  these  reinforcements  have  come  to 
Cortes,  who  survived  the  retreat,  and  our  spies  tell 
us  that  he  is  about  to  renew  the  attack." 

"  At  once  ?  "  demanded  Roger,  eagerly ;  "  for  if 
so,  you  must  put  thousands  to  work  instead  of  the 
few  I  see  below." 

"  Hardly  so  soon,"  was  the  answer ;  "  for  news 
reaches  our  ears  that  this  Malinche  will  attack  by 
way  of  the  lake  also.  Hitherto  his  men  have  had 
to  remain  on  the  land,  on  the  viaducts,  while  we 
have  showered  arrows  upon  them  from  the  water, 
for  we  have  an  abundance  of  canoes.  But  he  is 
having  some  big  ships  built — brigantines,  they  are 
called — and  these  are  to  be  transported  by  the  allies 
to  the  water,  for  they  are  under  construction  some 
distance  away." 

The  information  was  serious,  and  for  a  little 
211 


Roger  the  Bold 


while  Roger  sat  looking  down  at  the  smiling  city, 
wondering  how  its  defenders  would  fare  when  the 
Spaniards  returned.  He  recognized  already  that 
these  unfortunate  Mexicans,  who  were  so  engrossed 
with  their  superstitions,  were  for  all  that  a  race  of 
fierce  fighters,  to  whom  death  was  of  little  moment ; 
for  to  die  in  battle  or  upon  the  altars  was  to  be 
instantly  transferred  to  the  regions  of  the  sun,  to 
a  Valhalla  which  was  more  than  alluring.  But  they 
were  badly  led.  Their  attack  was  spasmodic,  and 
often  the  work  of  a  few  men  alone,  when  for  success 
it  was  necessary  that  assault  should  be  followed  up, 
and  forces  combined.  Against  such  fighting  the 
Spaniards  were  bound  to  triumph. 

"  The  ships  will  give  them  an  enormous  advan- 
tage," said  Roger,  at  length,  "and  I  advise  that 
means  be  taken  as  soon  as  possible  to  prepare  for 
them,  and  to  stake  the  bottom  of  the  lake  so  as  to 
keep  them  from  approaching.  As  to  the  land  work, 
your  thousands  should  be  powerful  enough." 

"  They  should  be,  but  are  not,  I  fear,"  answered 
Teotlili ;  "  for  the  horses  strike  dismay  into  the 
hearts  of  our  men.  The  beasts  are  strange  to  them, 
and  their  struggles,  the  noise  of  their  feet,  and  the 
sounds  which  they  make  startle  our  warriors." 

"Then  they  must  get  over  their  nervousness. 
These  horses  are  seen  everywhere  in  England,  and 
have  long  ago  been  servants  to  men,  not  their 
masters.  You  and  your  countrymen  must  rid  your 
minds  of  all  these  superstitions,  and  recollect  that 
these  Spaniards  are  men  like  yourselves,  though 
better  armed,  mounted  in  many  cases,  and  trained 
to  a  form  of  warfare  which  is  new  to  you.  But  I 
will  teach  you  how  to  deal  with  them.  I  had  a 

212 


News  of  Fernando  Cortes 

training  under  my  father  at  the  Tower  of  London, 
the  fortress  in  our  city,  and  there  I  saw  many  a 
sham  attack  and  many  a  gallant  defence.  We  will 
put  our  heads  together,  I  and  your  king  and  some 
others,  and  we  will  commence  to  make  preparations 
at  once,  for  we  must  be  ready  when  the  day  for 
action  comes.  Now  tell  me  the  allies  upon  whom 
you  can  rely,  and  their  numbers,  and  the  positions 
of  their  towns." 

The  two  sat  chatting  on  the  terrace  which 
encircled  the  summit  of  the  tower,  looking  down 
as  they  talked  into  the  busy  streets,  where  the  daily 
work  of  the  city  was  progressing.  The  events  of 
the  previous  day  seemed  to  have  made  little  if  any 
difference,  for  the  market  was  already  thronged 
with  buyers,  while  in  the  alcoves  built  round  the 
vast  square  sat  the  king's  officers,  ready  to  settle 
any  disputes,  and  prepared  to  pounce  upon  any  who 
might  make  use  of  false  weights.  And  round  the 
square  hummed  the  people  of  the  city,  thousands 
wafted  along  in  boats,  while  a  few  were  to  be  seen 
in  the  streets  and  on  the  viaducts.  Farther  afield 
the  workers  in  the  gardens  could  be  seen  tramping 
along  the  edges  of  the  floating  rafts  of  withies  which 
bore  the  fruits  of  their  cultivation,  while  outside 
were  many  canoes,  some  drifting  idly,  while  others 
manned  by  five  or  six  men  were  paddling  off  into 
the  lake  at  their  fastest  pace.  In  the  distance, 
backed  by  gorgeous  mountains  in  broken  array, 
were  other  cities,  all  well  built,  well  governed,  and 
inhabited  by  people  who,  till  the  coming  of  the 
enemy,  had  been  happy  and  contented,  if  overcast 
by  the  shadow  of  the  terrible  altars.  But  times  had 
changed,  and  now  nations  once  friendly  with  the 

213 


Roger  the  Bold 


Mexicans  were  allies  of  the  Spaniards,  and  therefore 
enemies  of  the  Mexicans,  while  others  who  had 
groaned  under  Montezuma's  tributes,  and  had 
thrown  off  his  sway  for  the  rule  of  the  new-comers, 
had  changed  again,  finding  already  that  the  rule  of 
the  Mexicans  was  light  compared  with  the  rapacious 
greed  and  the  overbearing  manners  of  the  Spaniards. 
And  beyond  the  mountains  lay  Vera  Cruz,  the  town 
founded  by  Cortes,  where  he  was  making  his 
preparations,  and  getting  his  men  together. 

Teotlili,  the  noble  who  sat  beside  Roger,  had 
spoken  barely  the  truth  when  he  told  how  the 
Mexicans  had  turned  in  their  anger,  and  had  driven 
the  Spaniards  out  with  loss ;  for  when  Cortes  came 
to  review  his  men  after  their  escape  from  Mexico, 
he  found  that  he  had  lost  four  hundred  and  fifty  of 
his  own  men,  and  all  his  artillery.  In  addition,  he 
had  to  mourn  the  death  of  some  of  his  principal 
lieutenants,  and  of  one  son  and  two  daughters  of 
the  late  King  Montezuma,  who  also  were  held  as 
hostages.  Four  thousand  of  the  Indian  allies  had 
been  slain  as  well  as  forty-six  horses,  while  in  the 
days  which  followed  numbers  of  others  lost  their 
lives ;  for  the  Mexicans  hung  on  their  flanks,  till  it 
is  said  that  the  plain  was  black  with  them.  But 
Cortes  was  not  the  man  even  then  to  admit  that  he 
was  beaten,  and  he  and  his  men  fought  on,  till  at 
length  he  charged  home  with  a  few  of  his  officers 
to  the  spot  where  the  Mexican  general  directed  his 
army,  and  himself  cut  the  noble  down.  Then  the 
enemy  fled,  and  in  due  course  Cortes  and  his 
remnant  of  men  reached  friends.  After  that,  as  the 
reader  will  remember,  he  set  to  work  to  construct 
some  brigantines,  and  while  they  were  building  he 

214 


News  of  Fernando  Cortes 

went  through  the  province  of  Mexico,  despoiling 
those  cities  which  would  not  ally  themselves  to  him, 
and  making  friends  elsewhere.  Thus  in  a  few  months 
he  had  gained  huge  treasures  and  larger  reinforce- 
ments. Meanwhile  the  Mexicans  had  set  up  their 
gods  again,  and  seeing  that  trouble  was  before  them, 
had  made  big  efforts  to  secure  allies  to  their  own 
side.  They  sent  into  the  provinces  and  granted 
freedom  from  taxation  for  a  year,  provided  the  cities 
would  come  to  their  aid.  Then  they  turned  their 
attention  to  their  own  city,  and  began  to  prepare 
for  attack.  It  was  at  this  moment,  when  they  were 
incensed  with  the  Spaniards,  that  Roger  arrived, 
and,  as  can  readily  be  imagined,  it  was  at  this  par- 
ticular period  that  they  were  in  urgent  need  of 
advice  and  of  help  in  their  work  of  preparation. 
What  wonder  if,  in  the  arrival  of  this  tall  youth, 
who  fought  so  valiantly  and  resisted  their  efforts 
to  slay  him  on  the  altar,  the  Mexicans,  led  by  their 
priests  and  by  Teotlili,  discovered  in  Roger  their 
long-lost  god  of  air,  and  now  that  they  had  made 
the  discovery,  looked  to  him  for  guidance,  and  for 
a  plan  with  which  to  beat  back  the  enemy. 

As  for  our  hero,  the  thought  of  the  struggle 
which  could  not  be  much  longer  delayed  occupied 
his  mind  less  than  did  that  of  his  comrades. 

"  If  only  they  were  here,"  he  said  to  himself. 
"Then  we  would  beat  back  these  Spaniards,  and 
drive  them  from  the  country.  What  a  fine  thing  to 
return  to  England  with  the  tale  that  there  was  a 
people  out  here  ready  to  be  vassals  to  King  Harry 
— people  whom  we  had  conquered  by  kindness! 
And  we  could  truly  say  that  they  are  not  ordinary 
natives,  for  they  are  as  civilized  as  are  our  own 

215 


Roger  the  Bold 


people,  except  in  their  hideous  forms  of  worship. 
Even  that  we  could  alter  in  time  and  with  the  use 
of  patience." 

He  sat  looking  out  at  the  streets  for  a  little  while, 
till  Teotlili  turned  to  him. 

"  My  lord  is  lost  in  thought,"  he  said.  "  He  looks 
troubled." 

"  I  was  thinking  of  my  comrades,"  answered 
Roger,  "  and  wondering  whether  I  could  bring  them 
here.  I  will  try,  that  I  promise,  even  for  no  reward. 
But  if  possible  I  will  find  this  Alvarez  who  has  the 
disc,  and  will  bring  that  back  also.  How  strange  it 
is  that  it  should  have  been  in  my  possession,  and 
that  I  should  have  so  soon  learned  its  history !  We 
knew  that  it  was  connected  in  some  way  with  the 
treasure  here,  but  never  guessed  that  it  had  come 
to  Fernando  Cortes'  hands  by  a  mischance.  And 
now,  supposing  he  has  received  it  from  Alvarez, 
or  the  latter,  who  is  a  traitor  and  deserving  of  death, 
has  kept  its  possession  to  himself?" 

"  There  will  be  nothing  gained,"  was  the  answer, 
"  for  to  make  use  of  it  our  high  priest  must  be  con- 
sulted. He  alone  can  read  the  secret  written  on 
the  plan,  for  he  has  the  special  training.  He  then 
can  learn  where  the  treasure  lies,  and  I  promise 
that  he  will  show  it  to  you." 

"And  I  will  have  it  taken  to  another  spot,  for  it 
might  happen  that  this  Alvarez  might  capture  the 
priest  and  force  him  to  disclose  the  place." 

"  A  wise  precaution,"  said  Teotlili.  "  Capture 
the  disc  and  it  shall  be  carried  out.  But  I  see  a 
stir  in  the  streets  below,  and  I  think  that  the  king 
is  coming  from  his  palace.  1  will  descend  and  meet 
them  if  you  will  give  your  permission." 

216 


News  of  Fernando  Cortes 

Roger  nodded,  and  then  stood  at  the  very  edge 
of  the  tower,  looking  down  from  this  giddy  height. 
He  saw  that  the  crowd  was  again  collecting  in  the 
courtyard  below,  and  that  a  procession  was  passing 
toward  it  from  the  palace.  There  was  the  glitter  of 
golden  armour  and  the  shimmer  of  silver  plumes. 
Bright  dresses  were  to  be  seen,  while  the  blowing 
of  horns  became  almost  deafening.  Then  on  every 
tower  appeared  a  load  of  human  beings,  their  path 
to  the  top  being  marked  quite  plainly  ;  for  there  was 
only  one  method  of  gaining  the  summit,  and  that  by 
climbing  the  steps  which  encircled  the  building. 

Was  the  procession  bent  on  a  peaceful  errand  ? 
Had  the  people  collected  together  to  witness  a 
sacrifice,  or  to  see  king  and  white  man  shake  hands 
in  friendship?  Roger  wondered,  while  he  looked 
down  on  the  scene  uneasily.  Then  he  recollected 
the  words  of  Teotlili,  and  the  abject  humility  of  the 
priest,  while  his  mind  went  back  to  the  contest  of 
the  previous  afternoon,  and  of  the  night  which  had 
just  passed.  His  assurance  returned  in  an  instant, 
and  he  turned  to  Tamba  with  a  smile. 

"  Let  them  choose,"  he  said  quietly.  "  If  it  be 
war  they  shall  have  it,  and  I  will  fight  to  the  very 
last.  If  peace,  then  they  shall  find  that  I  will  work 
for  them  as  if  they  were  my  own  people,  and  will 
do  all  that  I  can  to  beat  off  the  Spaniards." 


217 


CHAPTER  XII 
The  Spaniards  lay  an  Ambush 

"  T  T  is  peace.  The  Mexicans  see  my  master  as  I 
L  have  seen  him  for  many  weeks  now,"  said 
Tamba,  suddenly,  as  both  looked  down  from  the 
summit  of  the  tower  upon  the  crowds  below.  "  Look, 
my  lord,  they  are  carrying  banners  and  flowers,  and 
they  are  coming  towards  this  place  with  smiles  of 
welcome." 

The  native  clapped  his  hands  with  delight,  for 
though  he  had  said  little  up  to  this,  and  had  sup- 
ported Roger  faithfully,  yet  he  had  suffered  torments 
at  the  thought  of  the  fate  which  had  awaited  them, 
and  more  at  the  mention  of  such  an  end  for  the  master 
who  had  been  so  kind  to  him.  Now  he  eagerly 
acclaimed  the  coming  of  the  crowd,  feeling  that  it 
would  bring  friendship  and  a  happier  existence. 

"  The  priest  and  this  Teotlili  are  ascending,"  he 
said.  "Shall  I  goto  them?" 

"  Let  them  come,  and  meet  them  halfway  up," 
answered  Roger.  "Tell  them  that  I  await  them  in 
all  friendliness." 

The  native  was  gone  in  a  moment,  and  Roger 
watched  him  as  he  ran  lightly  down  the  broad  steps 
of  the  tower.  Soon  he  met  the  two  figures  which 
were  ascending,  and  hailed  them  with  cries  of  joy. 

218 


The  Spaniards  lay  an  Ambush 

A  few  minutes  later  the  three  were  on  the  terrace, 
where  the  priest  and  the  noble  greeted  Roger  with 
low  bows  as  before. 

•'  We  are  come  to  proclaim  a  truce,"  said  Teotlili, 
with  a  smiling  face.  "  Our  king,  nephew  of  Monte- 
zuma,  and  by  name  Guatemozin,  follows,  and  he 
will  take  you  by  the  hand,  for  he,  as  well  as  the 
people,  recognize  their  error.  He  will  ask  you  for 
your  help,  and  will  repeat  the  offer  I  made." 

The  news  was  more  than  welcome,  and  for  a 
little  while  our  hero  could  scarcely  answer.  For 
the  strain  had  been  very  trying,  and  the  issue  more 
than  doubtful.  But  he  had  himself  to  thank  alone, 
for  had  he  not  resisted  as  he  had  done,  he  would 
certainly  have  been  dead.  His  desperate  defence 
of  the  tower  had  given  the  Mexicans  time  to  look 
into  the  matter,  and  now  they  were  able  to  see  in 
the  tall  white  man  a  friend,  a  god  indeed,  who  would 
aid  them  against  the  Spaniards.  Very  soon  the 
shrill  whistles  of  those  who  led  the  procession  could 
be  heard,  and  within  ten  minutes  some  two  hundred 
gorgeously  apparelled  personages  were  on  the 
terrace.  The  central  figure  was  a  young  man,  tall 
and  calm,  and  possessing  a  face  which  showed 
friendship  and  gentleness.  He  was  dressed  in  a 
suit  of  glittering  golden  armour,  and  was  a  king  in 
every  sense  of  the  word.  Roger  advanced  to  him, 
and  bowed  deeply. 

"  Do  not  stoop  to  me,  I  beg,"  said  the  king  in 
broken  Spanish.  "  I  am  but  a  vassal  of  yours,  and 
am  come  to  beg  for  forgiveness,  and  to  ask  for  help. 
But  I  speak  only  a  little  of  the  tongue  of  these 
enemies,  and  therefore  Teotlili  will  carry  on  the 
conversation." 

219 


Roger  the   Bold 


He  nodded  to  the  noble,  while  he  advanced  and 
took  Roger's  hand. 

"  He  says  that  this  is  a  token  of  his  good  feeling 
and  of  his  sorrow,"  said  the  noble.  "  It  is  seldom 
that  the  King  of  Mexico  comes  to  greet  a  stranger, 
but  this  is  a  special  occasion.  He  does  honour 
to  you  with  pleasure,  for  he  feels  that  you  are  wise 
and  strong,  and  have  come  at  an  opportune  time. 
He  asks  whether  you  will  help  him,  and  whether 
you  will  become  a  cacique  ?  " 

"  Gladly,"  answered  Roger.  "  Say  that  I  will  do 
my  best  to  beat  back  the  Spaniards,  and  that  I  have 
already  met  them  in  battle.  Say,  also,  that  I  think 
that  it  would  be  well  to  have  a  meeting  of  all  his 
generals,  when  matters  can  be  fully  discussed. 
Preparations  must  be  made  to  meet  the  better  arms 
of  the  enemy." 

Teotlili  interpreted  his  words,  and  Guatemozin 
nodded.  Then  he  spoke  with  decision,  and  the 
people  about,  all  nobles  by  their  dress,  looked 
pleased. 

"  The  king  agrees,  and  will  go  now  to  the  palace 
with  you.  You  will  be  lodged  there,  and  will  be 
treated  as  your  high  station  demands.  He  asks  you 
to  lay  before  him  any  suggestions  which  you  may 
have,  particularly  as  to  new  arms,  by  which  the 
enemy  can  be  kept  from  close  quarters.  That  is 
how  they  have  succeeded  hitherto.  Their  lances 
have  killed  before  we  could  come  at  them,  while 
their  cannon  and  their  crossbows  have  slain  our 
men  at  a  distance  which  our  arrows  refuse  to  travel. 
In  all  these  matters  you  can  help.  For  reward, 
the  king  bids  me  say  that  he  will  be  pleased  to  do 
all  that  I  related." 

220 


The  Spaniards  lay  an  Ambush 

"  I  will  gladly  do  all,  and  more  if  possible,  with- 
out reward,"  answered  Roger,  interrupting  the 
speaker.  "  But,  should  Mexico  be  taken,  then  I  ask 
that  men  shall  be  given  me  to  convey  this  treasure 
away.  If  we  are  successful,  and  the  time  comes 
to  leave,  then,  if  the  king  still  wishes  it,  I  will 
accept  a  reward." 

"  It  shall  be  yours  in  any  case,"  said  Teotlili, 
emphatically;  "only,  the  disc  must  be  found  and 
brought  to  us.  Now,  let  us  go  to  the  palace,  where 
suitable  clothing  will  be  given  to  you." 

Guatemozin  took  our  hero  by  the  hand  and  led 
him  down  the  steps,  Tamba  following  closely. 
Then  he  led  him  through  the  crowds  of  Mexicans, 
who  shouted  their  welcomes,  and  strewed  flowers 
before  them.  Indeed,  the  excitement  was  tre- 
mendous. People  told  themselves  that  a  happier 
time  had  come,  and  that  there  was  now  some  pros- 
pect of  meeting  the  enemy.  The  very  coming  of 
this  god  of  air  would  bring  allies  to  their  side.  It 
was  a  fine  thing  for  Mexico,  and  the  population 
made  the  most  of  it.  A  quarter  of  an  hour  later 
the  king  and  his  guest  entered  the  palace,  and 
Roger  was  shown  into  a  room  which  was  luxuriously 
furnished,  and  decorated  with  panels  of  the  most 
beautiful  woods. 

"Here  is  clothing  suited  to  your  rank,"  said 
Teotlili,  pointing  to  a  couch.  "  I  will  stay  and  tell 
you  how  to  don  the  garments.  This  is  a  padded 
surcoat  of  cotton,  and  it  will  keep  out  many  a  blow. 
It  is  light,  and  will  enable  you  to  move  freely. 
Over  that  will  go  this  suit  of  armour,  while  your 
head  will  be  protected  with  this  casque  of  gold 
decked  with  silver  feathers.  My  lord  looks  a  king 

221 


Roger  the   Bold 


indeed  in  his  new  uniform.  Guatemozin  will  be 
pleased." 

He  stood  aside  and  looked  at  Roger  with  the 
utmost  approval,  and  it  must  be  confessed  that  the 
tall  young  fellow  did  indeed  look  every  inch  a 
nobleman  in  his  borrowed  plumes.  His  armour 
glittered,  while  his  muscular  arms  and  legs  were 
clearly  displayed,  giving  him  the  appearance  of  a 
youth  possessed  of  huge  strength.  His  skin  had 
long  ago  been  deeply  tanned  by  the  sun,  so  that 
now  that  he  was  dressed  as  a  Mexican  there  was 
very  little  difference  between  him  and  the  king  or 
many  of  his  nobles,  for  numbers  of  the  upper 
classes  were  very  fair.  Altogether  the  change  was 
excellent,  for  now  the  people  would  not  be  reminded 
so  much  of  the  Spaniard,  and  Roger  could  take  his 
place  as  one  of  their  leaders. 

"  I  have  almost  all  that  I  desire,"  he  said,  as  he 
looked  at  Teotlili.  "  I  am  now  known  as  a  friend, 
and  as  such  I  require  arms.  Let  me  have  my  sword 
and  crossbow." 

Teotlili  clapped  his  hands  smartly,  and  spoke  a 
few  words  as  an  attendant  appeared.  Then,  within 
a  few  seconds  the  man  came  in  again,  bearing  Roger's 
sword,  his  steel  cap  and  shoulder-pieces,  and  his 
faithful  crossbow  and  bag  of  shafts." 

"  Good ! "  he  cried,  delighted  at  seeing  them 
again.  "  You  shall  see  what  a  crossbow  will  do  as 
compared  with  your  little  bows  and  arrows,  and  we 
will  have  some  constructed.  Now,  lead  me  to  the 
king,  for  I  am  anxious  to  put  the  work  in  hand,  and 
then  to  go  in  search  of  my  countrymen." 

"  And  of  the  rogue  who  took  the  disc  from  you 
and  sought  to  slay  you  with  his  dagger.  Is  that 

222 


The  Spaniards  lay  an  Ambush 

not  so,  my  lord  ?  As  to  your  comrades,  our  spies 
tell  us  that  they  are  not  on  the  coast  now,  and  no 
news  has  come  of  them  from  the  north  or  south. 
But  follow  me,  and  we  will  go  to  the  meeting." 

Roger  felt  strange  in  his  new  dress  at  first,  and 
somewhat  bashful  at  the  thought  of  entering  the 
huge  room  in  which  the  conference  was  to  be  held. 
Indeed,  he  would  have  retreated,  but  suddenly 
remembered  the  estimation  in  which  these  people 
now  held  him,  and  that  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
act  up  to  his  position. 

"  I  will  show  them  what  a  white  man  can  do," 
he  said  to  himself,  "  and  if  it  is  possible  I  will  lead 
them  so  as  to  beat  back  the  Spaniards.  If  only  I 
could  persuade  them  to  give  up  the  sacrifices  as 
well.  But  I  am  no  priest,  and  hardly  know  how  to 
speak  on  such  matters." 

His  thoughts  were  suddenly  distracted  by  the 
sight  which  met  his  eyes  as  he  entered  the  room  in 
which  the  king  and  his  generals  were  collected, 
while  his  heart  beat  quickly,  and  he  flushed  to  the 
roots  of  his  hair  at  the  deference  which  all  showed 
him ;  for,  as  Teotlili  backed  before  him,  all  rose 
and  bowed,  while  the  king  came  forward. 

"  Let  us  now  discuss  the  question  from  the  very 
commencement,"  he  said  eagerly.  "  I  will  begin  by 
telling  our  friend  that  we  have  made  efforts  to 
gather  allies,  and  that  many  are  now  on  their  way 
to  join  us.  Our  embassies  also  left  this  very  morn- 
ing for  distant  parts,  to  visit  the  cities  which  are 
wavering,  and  they  take  news  of  the  coming  of  the 
white  man.  Those  are  our  preparations  for  rein- 
forcements, while  in  this  city  itself  we  are  storing 
food  and  grain,  and  laying  by  fresh  water  in  huge 

223 


Roger  the  Bold 


tanks  which  were  constructed  long  ago.  Our  cause- 
ways are  under  repair,  and  arrangements  have  been 
made  so  that  the  bridges  which  divide  them  can  be 
altogether  removed.  Now  let  the  white  man  speak 
of  arms,  for  ours  are  useless." 

Teotlili  interpreted  the  words,  while  Roger 
thought  for  a  few  minutes. 

"You  require  lances,"  he  said  at  length,  "and 
these  can  be  easily  made.  But  tell  me,  when  these 
Spaniards  fell  during  their  flight  did  they  not  leave 
many  arms  behind?" 

"  Not  a  great  number,"  was  the  answer ;  "  for, 
of  those  who  fell,  quite  half  sank  beneath  the  water 
of  the  lake,  where  they  lie  now." 

"  Then  you  must  send  men  with  poles  and  hooks 
at  the  end,  and  must  recover  the  arms,"  said  Roger, 
with  emphasis.  "  Then  portions  of  the  armour  must 
be  used  to  manufacture  lance  heads,  while  men 
must  be  practised  in  the  use  of  the  sword  Others 
must  be  trained  to  use  the  crossbow,  which  can 
easily  be  constructed  here.  I  will  give  the  plans, 
and  I  advise  that  the  work  be  carried  out  at  once." 

"  There  will  be  no  delay,"  answered  the  noble. 
"  Tell  our  men  how  to  proceed,  and  a  hundred 
weapons  will  be  ready  in  two  days'  time.  And  now 
for  other  matters.  The  king  has  already  spoken  of 
stores  and  of  the  causeways." 

"You  must  decide  to  meet  them  outside  the  city," 
said  Roger,  thoughtfully.  "  You  must  fall  on  them 
at  night,  cut  off  their  baggage,  and  endeavour  to 
capture  their  guns  and  ammunition.  Then  I  should 
build  forts  where  the  causeways  and  the  aqueducts 
commence,  for  the  latter  in  particular  must  be 
defended  to  the  very  last.  Finally,  I  advise  that  we 

224 


The  Spaniards  lay  an  Ambush 

go  to  the  top  of  the  tower  again,  where  we  can  see 
the  whole  city,  and  from  which  point  we  can  pick 
out  the  spots  which  most  require  defending." 

There  was  a  murmur  of  approval,  and  several  of 
the  nobles  leapt  to  their  feet  and  began  to  discuss 
the  matter  eagerly.  Guatemozin  nodded  his  ap- 
proval, and  came  to  Roger's  side. 

"  These  crossbows  could  be  handed  to  our  best 
bowmen,"  he  said,  "  and  then  you  might  train  them 
for  us.  How  many  do  you  advise  us  to  have." 

"  As  many  as  you  can  construct,"  answered 
Roger,  promptly.  "Your  own  bows  are  useless 
against  the  Spanish  armour,  but  a  shaft  from  a 
crossbow  will  often  penetrate,  particularly  if  aimed 
at  a  vulnerable  spot,  or  at  the  face.  Then  the  men 
with  the  lances  should  be  trained  together,  and  put 
under  a  leader.  It  will  be  their  task  to  charge  down 
upon  the  Spaniards  when  they  are  gathering 
strongly,  and  particularly  to  meet  the  rush  of  the 
horsemen.  Let  them  be  armed  with  short  swords 
or  knives,  and  then,  if  the  horsemen  beat  down  the 
lances,  the  men  should  throw  themselves  on  to  the 
ground,  and  as  the  Spaniards  pass,  leap  on  their 
backs  or  drag  them  from  the  saddle." 

"  The  advice  is  good,"  said  Guatemozin,  thought- 
fully. "  The  lances  will  hold  the  enemy  back,  while 
the  crossbows  will  bring  death  to  their  ranks.  But 
we  must  have  some  suggestion  for  the  causeways. 
They  will  fight  their  way  among  those,  and  these 
brigantines  will  lie  on  one  side  and  take  us  in  the 
flank." 

This,  in  fact,  was  the  very  reason  for  their  con- 
struction, for  the  wily  Cortes  had  long  ago  seen 
that  a  powerful  enemy  could  hold  his  men  in  check 

(B  6««)  225  P 


Roger  the  Bold 


on  the  narrow  causeway.  If,  however,  he  could 
keep  their  boats  from  the  water,  and  could  advance 
there  himself,  he  would,  with  the  help  of  his  guns, 
be  able  to  drive  the  enemy  back,  and  so  gain  the 
causeway  without  much  loss. 

"  You  cannot  stop  the  brigantines  if  the  water  is 
deep,"  said  Roger,  after  a  while.  "  If  shallow,  you 
might  drive  in  numbers  of  piles." 

"  Then  I  fear  that  we  must  suffer,  for  the  lake  is 
very  deep  on  either  side  of  the  causeway,"  answered 
the  king." 

"  And  there  is  no  time  in  which  to  make  a  big 
boat  for  ourselves,  and  we  have  no  guns,  and  ammu- 
nition is  not  to  be  found.  Then  we  must  think  of 
another  plan,  and  decide  when  we  see  the  actual 
spots.  But  I  think  that  our  best  way  will  be  to 
break  down  the  causeway  in  numerous  places, 
leaving  wide  chasms  over  which  a  plank  or  two  can 
be  placed  till  the  Spaniards  come.  Then  it  ought 
to  be  made  still  wider.  Let  men  be  stationed  all 
the  way  along  in  their  canoes,  and  arm  each  boat 
with  a  couple  of  poles  with  hooks  at  the  end.  Then 
the  canoes  can  dash  in  as  the  fighting  is  in  full 
swing,  and  the  men  can  drag  the  enemy  into  the 
water." 

For  long  they  discussed  their  plans  for  the 
future,  Roger's  advice  being  received  with  the  utmost 
respect.  For  it  must  be  remembered  that  these 
natives  had,  for  a  couple  of  generations,  been  fight- 
ing with  the  same  kind  of  arms  as  they  now  used, 
and  against  the  same  class  of  enemy.  Their  tactics, 
therefore,  had  required  no  alteration,  and  the  coming 
of  a  new  race  with  more  effective  arms  and  different 
methods  had  entirely  nonplussed  the  Mexicans. 

226 


The  Spaniards  lay  an  Ambush 

There  were  few  amongst  them  who  had  any  new 
ideas,  and  by  now  they  had  proved  the  old  ones  to 
be  useless.  No  wonder,  therefore,  that  they  re- 
ceived these  new  notions  with  every  sign  of  approval, 
and  begged  Roger  to  put  them  into  practice. 

"  But  we  will  eat  first,  and  afterwards  go  to  the 
tower,"  said  the  king,  as  he  took  his  guest  by  the 
arm. 

It  was  a  magnificent  meal,  and  Roger,  who  had 
seen  something  of  court  life  in  England,  for  he  was 
often  stationed  about  the  palace,  knew  that  this 
banquet  would  compare  most  favourably  with  any- 
thing which  King  Harry  could  show.  The  meats 
and  the  dishes  were  all  beautifully  prepared,  while 
there  was  abundant  variety.  But  he  had  other 
things  in  his  mind,  and  was  glad  when  they  rose 
from  their  couches  and  went  to  the  tower.  From 
the  lofty  elevation  he  was  able  to  see  all  the  out- 
skirts of  the  city,  and  when  at  length  he  descended 
it  was  with  the  knowledge  that  orders  had  already 
been  given  for  the  work  of  construction  to  be 
carried  out 

"  And  now  for  the  crossbows  and  the  lances," 
said  Teotlili.  "  I  have  already  sent  orders  for  the 
recovery  of  the  Spanish  armour  and  arms,  and  grieve 
that  we  did  not  trouble  about  it  before.  But  we 
never  thought  of  the  necessity.  Our  divers  brought 
up  the  gold  which  Malinche  attempted  to  carry  off, 
and  after  that  we  did  not  trouble.  Now  we  will  go 
to  the  artisans'  quarters." 

They  tramped  through  the  city,  followed  by  a 
crowd  of  eager  natives,  while  everywhere  Roger 
was  treated  with  the  utmost  respect.  Then  they 
reached  the  part  where  the  carpenters  plied  their 

227 


Roger  the  Bold 


trade,  and  here  the  wood  for  the  crossbows  was 
selected,  and  one  of  special  toughness,  and  of  some- 
what greater  length  than  the  steel  bow  on  Roger's 
weapon,  chosen  for  that  portion. 

"A  steel  bow  would  have  been  better,"  said  our 
hero,  "  but  as  we  have  none  of  the  metal,  wood  must 
do.  It  will  throw  a  shaft  farther  than  the  bows  now 
in  use,  and  a  tip  of  iron  to  the  former  will  do  the  rest." 

Roger's  coming  was  in  fact  the  signal  for  unusu- 
ally hard  work  in  and  about  the  city  of  Mexico,  and 
when  three  weeks  had  passed  he  had  the  satisfaction 
of  knowing  that  great  strides  had  been  made.  Huge 
chasms  now  gaped  in  the  causeways,  while  the  edges 
of  these  were  left  steeply  sloping,  so  that  an  enemy 
could  not  easily  climb  up  them.  Then  archways 
were  left  for  the  secretion  of  a  few  canoes,  whose 
crew  could  dart  out  at  the  proper  moment  and  fall 
on  the  flank  of  the  enemy.  The  opening  of  the 
aqueduct  was  also  strongly  fortified,  though  it 
seemed  certain  that  the  position  could  not  be  held 
for  long. 

"  We  will  keep  the  water  running  till  the  last 
moment,"  said  Roger.  "  Then  we  must  fall  back  on 
our  store.  I  should  advise  that  as  many  as  possible 
of  the  women  and  children  should  be  sent  out  of 
the  city,  for  then  our  stores  will  last  longer." 

However,  his  advice  on  this  matter  was  not 
followed,  for  the  Mexicans  were  a  home-loving  race, 
and  could  not  easily  reconcile  themselves  to  parting 
with  their  families,  a  fact  which  afterwards  had  a 
fatal  influence  on  their  hopes  of  success.  Unable 
to  persuade  them  in  this,  Roger  caused  them  to 
arrange  for  the  constant  supply  of  fresh  provisions, 
to  be  brought  at  night  by  way  of  the  water,  and  set 

228 


The  Spaniards  lay  an  Ambush 

guards  on  the  enormous  tanks  which  held  the  city's 
supply  of  fluid.  That  done,  he  turned  to  the  train- 
ing of  his  two  special  bands,  the  one  wielding  long 
lances,  tipped  with  sharp  spikes  made  from  the 
Spanish  armour  and  arms,  while  the  crossbow  men 
carried  a  weapon  which,  if  not  as  good  as  the  one 
which  he  and  Tamba  used,  was  almost  so,  and 
could  be  relied  on  to  do  much  execution. 

"  We  will  divide  the  lances  up  into  three  lots," 
he  said  to  1  eotlili,  as  that  noble  was  one  day  inspect- 
ing the  band,  "  for  I  think  that  the  Spaniards  may 
attack  in  three  columns  along  the  three  viaducts. 
We  will  appoint  their  officers  and  give  them  a  little 
practice,  for  one  band  can  be  pitted  against  the 
other." 

At  his  direction  the  men  reversed  their  arms,  and 
lashed  a  piece  of  cotton  to  the  butt  end  of  the  stout 
poles  which  held  the  lance  head,  padding  the  cotton 
with  some  loose  material.  Then  one  band  was  set 
to  enter  the  city,  while  another  opposed  them. 
Roger  taught  them  how  to  stand  steady,  to  await 
attack,  and  how  to  make  the  most  of  their  numbers, 
the  front  rank  kneeling,  while  the  rear  rank,  stand- 
ing only  a  pace  behind,  stood  upright,  their  lances 
protecting  their  comrades  who  knelt.  At  a  shout 
the  whole  party  would  dart  forward  and  take  up  a 
new  position,  or  would  retire  slowly,  facing  the 
supposed  enemy.  But  there  was  more  to  be  seen, 
and  Teotlili  and  the  king,  who  was  more  than  ener- 
getic in  these  days  of  preparation,  and  who  had  come 
to  see  how  the  bands  were  faring,  were  delighted 
at  the  next  movement. 

"  We  have  no  horses,  but  we  can  imagine  them," 
said  Roger,  with  a  smile.  "  The  enemy  will  rush 

229 


Roger  the  Bold 


forward  without  arms,  and  my  men  will  send  a  force 
forward  to  break  up  the  supposed  horsemen." 

He  whistled  to  the  men  who  had  been  sent  along 
the  causeway,  while  a  shout  set  those  with  the  lances 
in  motion.  They  ran  forward  to  meet  the  supposed 
horsemen,  and  took  up  a  position  as  formerly.  Then 
some  forty  who  stood  behind  them  leaped  over  the 
shoulders  of  those  who  were  kneeling  and  dashed 
to  the  front.  Arrived  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
supposed  horsemen,  they  shouted,  waved  their 
arms,  and  flung  themselves  on  the  ground. 

"That  is  as  far  as  we  can  train  them  without 
horses,"  said  Roger ;  "  but  they  know  what  is 
required.  I  have  given  them  instructions  to  wave 
and  shout,  for  horses  are  easily  frightened.  Then 
they  will  escape  the  lances  by  flinging  themselves 
on  the  ground,  while  they  need  not  fear  the  horses 
stamping  on  them.  It  remains  to  be  seen  how  the}' 
will  manage  to  deal  with  the  enemy." 

As  for  the  men  with  the  crossbrows,  they  had 
rapidly  acquired  the  use  of  their  new  weapons,  and 
being  skilled  with  the  ordinary  bow,  soon  were  able 
to  do  almost  as  well  with  the  others.  Roger  had  set 
up  a  figure  dressed  in  armour  taken  from  the  body 
of  one  of  the  officers  who  had  fallen  in  the  retreat 
of  the  Spaniards.  The  crossbow  men  spent  hours 
firing  at  it,  their  instructions  being  to  aim  for  the 
joints  beneath  the  arms,  and  for  the  face. 

So  much  progress  had  been  made  at  the  end  of 
three  weeks,  that  Roger  felt  that  he  could  now  turn 
his  attention  to  other  matters,  more  particularly  as 
news  came  that  the  English  ship  had  again  been 
seen  off  the  coast. 

"  Then  I  will  see  what  I  can  do  to  reach  them," 

230 


The  Spaniards  lay  an  Ambush 

said  our  hero,  when  Teotlili  told  him  the  news, 
"and  I  should  be  pleased  if  you  could  come  with 
me.  Then  there  will  be  no  difficulties  with  your 
allies.  I  shall  take  Tamba  and  half  a  dozen  of  the 
crossbow  men." 

"  I  will  come,"  was  the  answer.  "  Our  allies  will 
be  glad  to  see  you,  for  the  report  of  your  coming 
has  already  been  sent  to  them.  We  have  yet  a 
month  before  the  brigantines  will  be  ready,  and 
before  Malinche  can  come.  In  that  time  we  may 
reach  your  comrades." 

"  And  also  capture  the  golden  disc,"  said  Roger, 
with  a  meaning  smile.  "  Our  journey  to  the  coast 
will  take  us  to  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Spaniards, 
and  we  will  do  what  we  can  to  hear  of  this  Alvarez. 
When  can  we  set  out  ?  " 

Two  days  later  the  three,  with  six  crossbow  men 
following,  left  Mexico,  each  of  the  soldiers  carrying 
a  bundle  of  food  in  a  bag  suspended  from  his 
shoulders.  They  took  the  track  which  led  across 
the  plain  to  the  city  of  some  allies  who  lived  on  the 
mountain  side,  their  journey  being  accomplished 
at  night. 

"  Were  we  to  start  during  the  day,  all  the 
Spaniards'  friends  would  know,"  said  Teotlili,  "for 
their  spies  are  everywhere.  Besides,  we  might  be 
attacked  and  made  prisoners." 

"  In  which  case  I  should  have  little  to  look  for- 
ward to,"  answered  Roger,  with  a  grim  smile. 
"  They  would  have  little  mercy  on  a  white  man." 

"  They  have  placed  a  price  on  your  head,"  said 
the  noble,  solemnly.  "  The  news  of  your  arrival 
has  come  to  their  ears  through  spies,  and  they  have 
sent  to  all  the  cities  offering  a  reward  to  any  who 

231 


Roger  the  Bold 

may  take  or  kill  you.  No  doubt  they  would  treat 
your  comrades,  in  a  similar  manner.  However,  we 
have  escaped  their  notice  so  far,  and  will  hear  what 
our  allies  have  to  say." 

Roger  was  silent  for  some  little  while,  for,  in 
spite  of  the  dangers  through  which  he  had  already 
passed,  it  was  a  new  and  a  terrifying  experience  to 
have  a  price  set  upon  his  head,  to  know  that  many 
thousands  would  be  on  the  look  out  for  him,  eager 
to  win  the  reward  offered  by  the  Spaniards.  And 
their  chances  of  success  would  be  great,  he  reflected, 
for  he  was  the  only  Englishman,  the  only  one  with 
a  white  skin,  to  be  found  in  Mexico,  and  for  that 
reason  he  would  be  particularly  prominent,  if  his 
height  did  not  make  him  that  already.  He  began 
to  wonder  whether  it  would  be  possible  to  reach 
the  brigantine,  and  return  to  the  safety  of  his  friends, 
where  he  would  occupy  a  safer  and  a  humbler 
position. 

"  No,"  he  said  to  himself,  after  a  little  while.  "  I 
am  a  coward  to  be  so  easily  frightened.  Even  if 
I  come  across  my  comrades,  it  is  my  duty  to  ask 
them  to  accompany  me  to  Mexico,  and,  if  they  will 
not  come,  I  will  return  alone,  for  I  have  given  a 
solemn  promise.  Besides,  there  are  the  riches,  the 
treasure  to  be  won,  which  we  owe  to  those  who 
paid  the  expenses  of  our  expedition.  As  for  the 
reward  for  my  life,  pooh  !  " 

He  tugged  at  his  sword  till  it  was  free,  and  drew 
it.  Then  he  carefully  inspected  the  edge,  as  if  that 
were  sufficient  answer. 

"  He  who  captures  me  will  have  to  beat  this  down 
first,"  he  said,  "  and  afterwards  he  will  have  to  look 
out  for  my  fists.  I  am  beginning  to  think  that 

232 


"THE  BLADE  FELL  TRUE  ON  THE  SOLDIER'S  HEAD, 
DROPPING  HIM  LIKE  A  STONE" 


The  Spaniards  lay  an  Ambush 

nature's  weapons  are  not  to  be  scoffed  at.  Now  let 
us  listen  to  these  people." 

By  now  they  were  in  the  palace  of  the  allies, 
where  Roger  was  greeted  with  the  usual  signs  of 
rejoicing  and  respect.  The  cacique,  or  chief,  having 
placed  a  meal  before  them,  began  to  speak  of  the 
Spanish  movements. 

"  They  are  massing  close  to  the  town  where  the 
ships  are  being  manufactured,"  he  said,  "  and  I  have 
news  that  there  is  to  be  a  big  review  within  a  few 
days.  Doubtless,  after  that  is  done  with,  the  armies 
will  march  for  Mexico.  Meanwhile,  the  country 
swarms  with  enemies,  and  my  people  are  frequently 
in  conflict  with  them." 

"And  what  of  the  English  ship?"  demanded 
Teotlili.  "She  has  men  aboard  who  will  prove 
valuable  allies." 

"  I  cannot  say,"  was  the  answer.  "  My  spies 
report  that  she  was  within  sight  of  the  coast  to  the 
north  a  week  ago.  And  now  comes  the  rumour  of 
noises  at  sea,  such  as  the  Spaniards  make.  At  night 
bright  flashes  were  to  be  seen  accompanying  the 
explosions.  When  dawn  came  none  were  in  sight, 
though  it  is  rumoured  that  a  strange  ship  was 
brought  into  the  harbour  with  these  enemies." 

"  Captured  !  My  comrades  beaten  !  Sir  Thomas 
would  never  surrender ! "  exclaimed  Roger,  aghast 
at  the  rumour ;  for  if  it  were  true,  then  he  might  bid 
adieu  to  all  hope  of  return  to  England,  save  perhaps 
as  a  prisoner,  and  even  then,  Spain  would  be  his 
destination,  and  not  his  native  land  He  sat  dum- 
founded  for  a  little  while,  Teotlili  and  the  cacique 
watching  him  curiously.  At  length  he  spoke  quietly. 

"  The  rumour  bodes  little  good  to  us,"  he  said. 

233 


Roger  the  Bold 


"  If  my  comrades  are  taken  they  must  be  helped. 
I  sacrifice  all  thought  of  Mexico  and  of  its  defence, 
and  I  give  up  all  hope  of  the  treasure,  till  I  have 
made  sure  of  their  fate,  and,  if  the  opportunity  can 
be  made,  have  contrived  to  speak  with  them  and 
rescue  them.  That  is  without  doubt  my  first  duty. 
I  owe  it  to  the  King  of  England,  and  I  owe  it  to  a 
leader  who  was  always  kind,  and  to  comrades  who 
treated  me  well." 

"And  we  honour  you  for  the  decision,"  said 
Teotlili.  "  Though  it  falls  in  but  sadly  with  our 
own  desires,  we  recognise  that  man's  first  duty  is 
loyalty  to  his  comrades  and  to  his  friends.  Fidelity 
to  the  hand  which  feeds  him  and  gives  him  favours. 
These  friends  of  my  lord's  must  be  his  first  thought, 
and  afterwards  he  can  turn  his  mind  to  Mexico  and 
her  people.  We  will  rest  now,  and  to-morrow, 
before  the  dawn  breaks,  we  will  push  on  for  the 
coast." 

A  little  after  midnight  the  party  set  out  again, 
Roger  feeling  feverish  with  anxiety.  Their  faces 
were  turned  to  the  sea,  and  they  aimed  for  the 
coast  at  a  point  a  little  north  of  Vera  Cruz,  where 
they  hoped  to  gain  definite  tidings  of  the  English- 
men. Soon  they  were  clambering  up  the  steep  pass 
which  led  over  the  mountains,  while  the  atmosphere 
gradually  became  brisker  and  colder.  Clouds  en- 
veloped them,  and  as  the  dawn  broke  they  marched 
in  a  thick,  wet  mist. 

"It  will  last  for  an  hour  more,"  said  Teotlili. 
"  Then  the  sun  will  dispel  the  clouds,  and  it  will  be 
clear  day.  Ere  that  we  shall  be  at  the  town  of  a 
friendly  tribe,  who  live  off  the  road." 

An  hour  later,  just  as  they  were  about  to  emerge 

234 


The  Spaniards  lay  an  Ambush 

from  a  gulley  through  which  the  track  lay,  Roger 
thought  he  heard  a  shout  behind  him,  while  the 
head  of  their  tiny  procession  came  to  an  abrupt 
halt. 

"  Some  one  is  behind  us,  and  the  men  think  that 
others  are  in  front,"  whispered  Teotlili.  "  We  will 
wait  a  few  minutes,  and  then  move  on.  I  have  sent 
a  scout  forward." 

They  huddled  on  the  track,  drawing  their 
feathered  cloaks  about  them,  for  the  morning  was 
a  chill  one.  And  as  they  waited  the  light  steadily 
increased,  till  a  dull  gleam  in  the  east  showed  the 
rising  sun.  Roger  was  just  commenting  upon  its 
appearance,  when  there  was  a  loud  shout. 

"  Tueles ! "  called  out  the  scout,  who  had  been 
sent  forward.  "  Spaniards !  They  have  us  between 
them!  Fly!" 

"  The  enemy !  Spaniards  !  "  explained  Teotlili. 
"Then  we  must  go.  Come,  my  lord,  follow  me." 

There  was  no  time  for  further  argument  or  ex- 
planation, for  the  voices  of  the  Spanish  horsemen 
could  be  heard,  while  the  stamping  of  their  horses' 
hoofs  was  very  audible.  Roger  drew  his  sword, 
and  set  off  after  Teotlili,  Tamba  leading  the  way. 
Then  a  figure  suddenly  dashed  out  of  the  mist,  and 
bore  down  upon  him,  lance  in  hand. 

"  Halt !    Stand,  or  I  run  you  through ! " 

The  Spanish  horseman  took  our  hero  for  a 
native,  and  never  imagined  that  he  would  under- 
stand. But  Roger  knew  the  language,  fortunately, 
and  as  the  man  came  to  closer  quarters,  swung  round 
and  leapt  suddenly  aside.  His  sword  went  up  over 
his  shoulder,  and  the  blade  fell  true  on  the  soldier's 
head,  dropping  him  like  a  stone.  For  an  instant 

235 


Roger  the  Bold 


Roger  thought  of  leaping  on  the  horse,  but  two 
other  Spaniards  put  in  an  appearance.  He  turned, 
therefore,  and  ran  as  fast  as  he  was  able,  till  a  cry 
of  dismay  escaped  him.  He  found  no  ground  for 
his  feet,  but  plunged  headlong  down  the  side  of  the 
mountain,  crashing  on  to  the  rocks  some  feet  below. 
The  fall  stunned  him  for  a  little  while,  and  when 
at  length  he  was  able  to  understand  and  look  about 
him,  he  saw  Spaniards  guarding  their  prisoner, 
while  his  sword  and  crossbow  had  been  removed, 
and  his  hands  lashed  firmly  together. 

"  He  has  recovered.  None  but  one  of  these  dogs 
could  have  withstood  such  a  fall,"  said  some  one  in 
authority,  striding  towards  Roger  and  surveying 
him.  "  Then  we  will  march  and  get  to  safer  quarters. 
Tie  the  rascal  to  your  stirrup-leather,  Juan,  and  let 
us  be  moving.  To  horse,  mount,  and  away  ! " 

Some  fifty  troopers  obeyed  the  order.  They 
swung  themselves  into  their  saddles,  while  one  of 
their  number  hastened  to  pass  a  noose  round  Roger's 
hands,  and  attach  it  to  his  saddle.  Then  there  was  a 
sharp  order,  and  the  cavalcade  went  at  a  trot  down 
the  pass,  clattering  their  way  over  the  stones  and 
broken  ground,  and  bearing  their  captive  to  the 
camp  where  dwelt  Fernando  Cortes.  It  was  a 
terrible  misfortune,  and  a  sad  and  sudden  ending 
to  our  hero's  rising  fortunes. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
A  Sentence  of  Death 

"  T3  UN  quickly,  dog,  and  do  not  drag  so  behind," 
Xv  suddenly  exclaimed  the  trooper  who  had 
made  Roger's  leading  rope  fast  to  the  pummel  of 
his  saddle.  "  There  is  no  need  to  pull  behind  as 
if  you  were  afraid  that  this  beast  of  mine  would 
stumble  and  fall.  Or  perhaps  you  are  fearful  of  him, 
like  all  the  other  natives.  Come,  long  legs  make 
long  paces." 

He  gave  a  violent  jerk  to  the  rope,  which  caused 
the  utmost  pain.  Indeed,  Roger  had  already  suffered 
considerably,  for  his  hands  were  firmly  lashed 
together,  and  the  slightest  pull  on  them  caused  him 
agony.  And  yet  a  little  pain  now  might  be  life  for 
all  he  knew.  For  that  reason  he  had  steadily  dragged 
on  the  rope,  causing  the  man  to  fall  behind  his 
comrades. 

"  Perhaps  we  shall  come  to  some  difficult  part," 
thought  Roger,  "  when  I  will  give  a  tug  and  then 
jump  at  the  horse.  A  good  push,  with  all  my  weight 
behind  my  foot,  might  send  him  rolling  over,  and 
kill  the  rider.  It  is  worth  trying,  and  even  if  unsuc- 
cessful the  sudden  execution  which  would  follow 
would  only  anticipate  my  fate  by  an  hour  or  two." 

But  he  affected  to  be  unacquainted  with  the 
237 


Roger  the  Bold 


Spanish  language,  and  still  dragged,  in  spite  of  the 
man's  words,  till  suddenly  the  Spaniard  turned 
in  his  saddle  with  a  curse  and  a  savage  jerk 
of  the  rope.  He  pulled  on  his  rein,  and  having 
brought  the  animal  to  a  stop,  vaulted  from  his  saddle, 
while  his  comrades  pulled  up  beside  him. 

"Now,  what  is  the  trouble?  Why  are  you 
delaying  ?  "  demanded  the  officer,  fretfully.  "  Do 
you  not  know  that  we  are  in  the  enemy's  country, 
and  that  a  halt  may  mean  capture  and  more  besides?" 

He  shuddered  as  he  spoke,  for  even  now,  when 
reinforcements  of  men  and  horses  had  come  to 
Cortes,  and  the  campaign  was  about  to  be  resumed, 
a  dread  fear  of  capture  lurked  in  the  minds  of  all. 
For  that  meant  a  visit  to  the  summit  of  the  huge 
tower  in  Mexico,  and  death  on  the  altar.  It  was  a 
hideous  nightmare  to  scores  of  these  Spaniards — 
these  adventurers  who  had  by  now  proved  their 
bravery  in  many  and  many  an  unequal  tussle.  The 
very  mention  of  the  sacrifice  appalled  him,  though 
these  same  men  thought  nothing  of  the  awful  tor- 
tures inflicted  by  their  own  side,  or  of  the  hangings 
and  burnings  which  were  often  practised.  And  this 
leader  of  the  little  band  which  had  captured  Roger 
was  one  of  the  many  who  had  fears,  only  he  thought 
more  of  the  matter  perhaps  than  did  others. 

"  Hasten,"  he  said  fretfully.  "  Do  not  let  us 
waste  a  minute  that  can  be  saved.  Come,  Juan, 
what  ails  you,  man?  Why  dismount  now?" 

"  To  let  you  or  some  other  fool  take  the  captive," 
was  the  cool  answer,  discipline  in  the  invading 
army  being  none  of  the  strictest.  "  If  you  are  in 
haste,  take  the  rope  and  lead  this  dog  yourself  while 
we  ride  on.  I  warrant  that  within  a  little  while 

238 


A  Sentence  of  Death 

your  leg  will  chafe  against  the  rope,  and  you  will 
find  this  fellow  dragging  like  a  load  which  is  dead. 
And  slowly  you  will  fall  behind,  till  your  comrades 
are  well  in  advance.  Then,  captain,  a  push  from 
this  captive's  shoulder  does  the  work,  and  you 
and  your  steed  fall  heavily.  Mayhap  you  are 
killed,  and  better  for  you.  Mayhap  you  live,  and 
this  dog,  having  smothered  your  voice,  contrives  to 
free  his  hands  and  carry  you  off.  Then— ah,  then 
comes  the  trouble." 

He  grinned  at  his  comrades,  who  enjoyed  his 
subtle  joke,  and  sat  their  horses,  smiling  openly ; 
for  their  leader  was  a  weak  and  an  unpopular  man, 
and  they  openly  derided  him. 

"Then  comes  the  trouble,"  repeated  Juan,  with 
relish.  "  The  dog  smothers  you,  cuts  his  bonds, 
and  then  whistles  to  his  friends.  You  are  taken, 
and  that  very  night  the  Mexicans  enjoy  a  royal 
feast,  to  which  they  invite  all  friends.  Spaniards 
are  rare  morsels,  captain,  and  a  leader  of  Spaniards 
a  dainty  bit  which  will  not  meet  with  refusal." 

There  was  a  shout,  while  the  leader  stamped 
angrily  on  the  ground,  gnawing  at  his  moustache 
in  his  annoyance.  His  face  was  flushed,  and  it 
was  clear  that  he  was  thoroughly  angry.  But 
beyond  that,  in  his  heart  of  hearts  these  words 
brought  terror  to  his  mind ;  for  the  Mexican  custom 
was  not  only  to  offer  prisoners  before  the  altars, 
but  to  roast  and  eat  the  bodies,  the  captor  being 
given  this  special  privilege. 

"  Cease  your  chatter ! "  he  exclaimed  wrathfully, 
"and  let  us  move  on.  What  caused  you  to  halt  ?" 

"The  prisoner  and  the  rope,"  was  the  smooth 
answer.  "The  dog  has  attempted  to  do  what  I 

239 


Roger  the  Bold 


spoke  of;  he  was  gradually  pulling  me  back.  But 
I  will  make  an  end  of  the  matter.  See  here  !  " 

He  had  been  busily  loosening  the  rope  from  the 
pummel  of  his  saddle,  and  now  that  it  was  free  he 
took  the  slack  in  his  hand,  and,  grasping  it  firmly, 
jerked  on  it  with  such  force  that  Roger  turned 
suddenly,  the  pain  causing  him  to  twist  round. 

"  See  here,  dog  of  a  Mexican,  I  have  no  desire 
to  make  the  feast  for  thy  tables,  and,  so  that  you 
may  not  attempt  to  take  me,  will  have  a  new  arrange- 
ment. Drive  a  pig,  not  lead  one,  is  the  right  motto, 
and  that  shall  be  my  plan.  I  will  drive  you,  and 
will  hold  this  lance  at  your  back  so  that  you  may 
have  sharp  reminder  should  you  feel  disposed  to 
fall  back.  Now,  on  to  your  place,  and,  remember, 
fall  back  at  your  peril." 

Again  he  jerked  the  rope,  but  Roger  affected 
not  to  understand,  and  made  no  movement  till  the 
soldier  took  him  roughly,  and  by  dint  of  signs  accom- 
panied by  many  an  oath,  intimated  to  him  what  was 
to  happen. 

"  Recollect,"  he  said  again,  in  his  fierce  voice, 
staring  into  his  captive's  face  till  Roger  could  have 
killed  him — "  recollect,  behind  there  is  a  lance  which 
has  run  through  many  a  Mexican  dog,  and  would 
pierce  you  as  if  you  were  made  of  paper." 

"  Come,  come,  gently,  Juan ! "  exclaimed  the 
officer,  still  scowling  in  his  anger.  "  Even  if  he  is  a 
dog  of  a  Mexican,  treat  him  fairly  and  well,  for  it 
may  happen  that  I  shall  have  to  report.  His  Honour, 
Fernando  Cortes,  generalissimo  in  this  country, 
sent  me  here  for  a  certain  purpose,  namely,  to 
capture  the  giant  who  was  leading  the  Mexicans, 
and  of  whose  journey  his  spies  had  given  him 

240 


A  Sentence  of  Death 

information.  Well,  I  have  succeeded,  but  if  one  of 
my  men  should  spoil  that  success,  if  he  should  kill 
when  the  order  was  'bring  the  dog  alive,'  then 
perhaps  even  I  could  not  save  your  neck  from  the 
rope." 

It  was  an  excellent  counter-thrust,  and  Juan 
scowled  and  swore  under  his  breath  with  a  hearti- 
ness never  even  exceeded  by  a  British  sailor.  As 
for  his  comrades,  though  they  did  not  favour  their 
captain,  still  they  could  enjoy  a  joke,  and  they 
roared  at  the  expense  of  their  comrade. 

"  We  will  come  and  look  on.  We  will  encourage 
you  and  keep  up  your  courage  till  the  noose  pulls 
tight,"  laughed  one,  in  a  husky  whisper. 

"  Silence  !  Let  us  be  going,"  ordered  the  captain. 
"  Lead  us,  Juan,  and  we  will  see  that  you  are 
secure." 

They  set  out  again  down  the  side  of  the  moun- 
tain, Roger  in  advance.  All  his  plans  were  thus 
destroyed,  and  he  ran  on  moodily,  wondering  where 
he  would  be  taken  to  and  how  long  he  would  be 
allowed  to  live. 

"  Rescue  will  be  attempted ;  of  that  I  am  sure," 
he  said  to  himself,  by  way  of  comfort.  "Teotlili 
and  the  Mexican  lords  will  never  allow  me  to  perish 
without  making  an  attempt,  for  there  is  no  doubt 
that  they  look  up  to  me  as  to  one  of  their  hateful 
deities.  How  strange  it  all  is,  and  how  my  father's 
eyes  would  open  were  he  here  to  see  and  know  all 
that  has  happened." 

How  strange,  indeed,  that  he,  a  simple  crossbow 
youth,  should  now  be  virtually  ruler  of  Mexico ;  for 
his  lightest  word  was  obeyed,  and  Guatemozin  and 
his  lords  deferred  every  question  to  him.  Indeed, 

241  Q 


Roger  the  Bold 


had  Roger  desired  it,  he  could  have  been  elected  as 
king,  the  rightful  lord  taking  place  as  his  minister. 
But  he  declined  the  suggestion  made  by  the  priests. 
In  any  case,  he  occupied  a  position  which  his  wildest 
fancies  had  never  attained  to ;  and  if  he  were  suc- 
cessful, then  there  would  be  wealth  on  his  return 
home,  and  even  honour,  for  had  he  not  already  won 
praise  and  promotion  on  the  brigantine? 

"  Halt !     What  is  the  report  ?  " 

The  cavalcade  had  come  to  the  base  of  the  hill, 
and  had  met  some  three  hundred  natives,  allies  of 
the  Spaniards.  One  of  these  lifted  his  hand  to 
signal  the  horsemen  to  stop,  and  then  advanced 
with  an  interpreter. 

"  There  is  huge  commotion  in  the  country,"  he 
said.  "  Since  early  morning  men  have  been  hurry- 
ing to  and  fro,  and  some  cross  the  track  between 
this  and  Tlascala.  You  must  ride  faster  if  you  wish 
to  pass  there  in  safety." 

"Then  mount  the  prisoner.  Let  the  lightest 
man  take  him." 

"  And  get  his  throat  cut  for  his  pains,"  growled 
Juan,  as  he  prepared  to  free  the  rope. 

"  But  no.  We  want  a  strong  man,  above  all," 
suddenly  added  the  captain.  "Juan,  I  think  you 
lay  claim  to  strength,  for  I  have  heard  you  challenge 
any  of  your  comrades  to  combat  with  you.  You 
shall  still  hold  the  captive.  Put  him  behind  you, 
facing  about,  and  we  will  surround  you." 

The  task  was  not  an  enviable  one,  and  Juan  made 
his  preparations  for  it  with  a  very  ill  grace,  while  a 
sinister  smile  played  about  the  corners  of  his  leader's 
face.  However,  delay  was  to  be  avoided  if  they 
wished  to  reach  their  quarters  in  safety,  and  very 

Ml 


A  Sentence  of  Death 

soon  Roger  was  astride  the  horse,  his  ankles  lashed 
together,  while  a  rope  was  passed  about  his  waist, 
securing  him  to  Juan.  The  troop  got  in  motion 
again,  and,  breaking  into  a  canter — a  movement 
which  made  riding  comfortable  and  easy  for  our 
hero — bore  straight  across  the  open  towards  a  dis- 
tant town,  that  of  Tlascala,  where  Cortes  then  re- 
sided, and  where  his  brigantines  were  in  course  of 
construction.  An  hour  later,  as  the  party  approached 
a  little  closer,  and  the  wall  which  surrounded  the 
town  became  clearly  visible,  some  three  hundred 
dark  figures  burst  from  a  ravine  a  little  to  the  left, 
and  raced  towards  the  horsemen,  uttering  shrill 
whistles  and  shouts.  Roger  turned  his  head,  and 
thought  he  saw  Teotlili  at  their  head,  while  the 
dress  of  the  natives  proclaimed  them  as  friends  and 
allies  of  the  Mexicans.  Then  an  attempt  at  rescue 
was  about  to  be  made.  His  late  captors  were  true 
to  him. 

"  Gallop  !     Lances  down,  and  gallop ! " 

The  leader  gave  the  order  in  high-pitched 
words,  and  then  took  his  place  at  the  head  of  the 
troop. 

"  Surround  the  prisoner ;  and,  Juan,  do  you  lean 
well  forward  in  the  saddle,  so  as  to  stretch  the 
prisoner  and  make  movement  difficult.  Our  men 
will  protect  you  in  front,  while  Pedro  will  hold  his 
sword  handy  to  slay  the  dog  should  he  make  an 
attempt  to  escape  or  to  delay  us." 

The  advice  given  to  Juan  was  undoubtedly  good, 
for  as  the  Spaniard  carried  out  the  movement,  Roger 
found  that  the  lashing  about  his  ankles  tautened, 
while  the  leaning-back  attitude  made  struggling 
on  his  part  almost  out  of  the  question.  Still,  he 

243 


Roger  the  Bold 


resolved  to  make  an  effort  if  the  time  came,  even  if 
a  sword  were  held  in  his  face.  By  now  the  troop 
was  galloping  at  a  sharp  pace,  the  leader  having 
selected  a  long  stretch  of  open  ground  favourable 
to  horses,  and  across  this  he  led  them  at  an  angle 
which  slightly  inclined  towards  the  Mexicans  and 
their  allies.  It  looked  as  if  all  his  efforts  were  con- 
centrated in  an  attempt  to  fly  past  them  without 
giving  them  battle,  and  at  the  thought  the  natives 
swerved  from  their  course,  and  raced  to  cut  off  the 
party.  Soon  they  were  so  close  that  Roger  could 
hear  their  voices,  and  stirred  uneasily,  till  the  man 
who  threatened  him  with  his  sword  placed  the  point 
close  to  his  breast. 

"  Stir  so  much  as  a  finger's  breadth  and  I  thrust 
the  blade  home,"  he  growled,  while  he  looked  askance 
at  the  enemy.  "  One  hand's  breadth,  remember ! " 

"Give  us  our  god  of  air!  Halt,  and  hand  him 
over,  when  you  may  go  free  ! "  came  a  ringing  voice 
from  the  natives. 

"  Charge !     To  the  left !    To  the  left ! " 

The  captain  of  the  troop,  who,  to  do  him  but  fair 
justice,  was,  in  spite  of  his  many  fears  of  capture, 
a  good  and  plucky  leader,  tugged  at  his  reins,  and, 
standing  in  his  stirrups,  directed  his  troop  at  the 
heart  of  the  rushing  enemy ;  in  fact,  his  plan  from 
the  first  had  been  to  delude  them,  to  make  it  appear 
as  if  he  were  about  to  escape  to  one  side,  and  then 
at  the  last  moment  to  turn  and  plunge  through 
the  natives.  He  relied  for  success  upon  the  poor 
weapons  which  the  Mexicans  and  their  allies  pos- 
sessed, and  upon  their  horror  of  the  horses,  whose 
weight  ought  to  be  able  to  burst  a  way  through 
such  footmen.  But  he  counted  his  success  too 

244 


A  Sentence  of  Death 

quickly,  for  Roger's  teaching  was  to  bear  excellent 
fruit.  There  was  a  shout  of  dismay  as  the  natives 
saw  the  horses  charging  down  upon  them,  and 
many  fled  for  their  lives.  But  suddenly  a  figure 
became  prominent  in  their  midst,  and  all  came  to 
a  stop. 

"  Shout !  Wave  your  arms  and  shout !  Then 
throw  yourselves  on  the  ground  and  hack  at  the 
horses,  or  endeavour  to  seize  the  legs  of  the  riders. 
Men  with  the  crossbows  to  one  side,  and  search 
their  ranks  with  your  shafts.  Beware  of  harming 
the  prisoner.  Death  to  the  one  who  is  so  reck- 
less." 

Had  Teotlili  had  a  force  of  pure  Mexicans  with 
him,  men  who  had  undergone  some  training  under 
Roger's  orders,  the  success  of  his  plan  would  per- 
haps have  been  perfect.  But  he  had  to  deal  with 
allies,  men  who  had  heard  of  the  new  and  wonder- 
ful white  man  and  of  his  methods,  but  who  had 
not  practised  the  latter.  Still,  if  they  had  had  no 
practice,  they  had  at  least  the  most  abject  and 
absolute  faith  in  his  advice,  and  at  the  command 
all  came  to  a  stop.  Then  the  men  with  the  cross- 
bows, but  six  in  number,  ran  to  the  side  and  placed 
shafts  in  their  weapons,  while  the  remainder  waited, 
their  eyes  fixed  on  the  noble  who  stood  in  their 
midst.  And  down  upon  them,  lance  lowered,  or 
sword  ready  to  deliver  thrust  or  cut,  rode  the 
Spaniards,  excellent  masters  of  their  horses,  and 
with  complete  confidence  in  themselves.  In  fact, 
the  horsemen  had  never  known  yet  what  it  was  to 
fail  when  opposed  to  the  natives  in  this  New  Spain, 
for  their  weapons  were  even  less  terrifying  to  the 
Mexicans  and  their  allies  than  were  their  horses. 

245 


Roger  the  Bold 

For  the  natives  looked  upon  these  strange  beasts  as 
little  short  of  gods,  the  superstition  with  which 
their  whole  systems  were  permeated  leading  them 
to  attribute  the  utmost  powers  to  the  steeds  ridden 
by  the  Spaniards.  What  wonder,  too,  when  it  is 
recollected  that  none  in  the  whole  country  had  ever 
seen  such  a  huge  animal  before,  and  that  no  form 
of  animal  labour  was  known  of,  the  human  being 
undertaking  every  sort. 

"  Charge  !  Through  them  and  then  on  to  the 
town.  Charge  ! " 

It  was  the  Spanish  captain's  turn  now,  and  he 
rose  to  his  full  height  in  his  stirrups ;  for  he  had  at 
last  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  eyes  of  the  natives,  an 
infallible  sign  that  the  moment  for  the  crash  was  at 
hand.  He  had  waited  for  it  before  on  many  an 
occasion,  and  had  stood  so  in  his  stirrups.  Then 
the  crash  had  come,  his  sword  had  whirled  this  way 
and  that,  and  the  natives  had  disappeared  as  if  they 
had  sunk  into  the  ground.  He  selected  Teotlili, 
and  rode  full  at  him. 

"  Shout !     Shout  and  wave  your  arms  ! " 

The  gallant  noble  never  moved,  for  he  had 
braced  his  courage  to  the  task,  a  task  which  might 
well  have  caused  the  boldest  to  give  way,  particu- 
larly under  the  circumstances.  He  stood  firmly, 
and  at  his  signal  the  natives  shouted  lustily  and 
tossed  their  hands  into  the  air.  Shrill  whistles 
came  from  others,  while  at  the  same  moment  six 
crossbow  shafts,  tipped  with  iron  taken  from 
Spaniards  who  had  fallen  at  Mexico,  flew  towards 
the  horsemen.  One  struck  the  armour  of  the  leader 
with  a  dull  metallic  sound,  dinting  it  deeply  but 
failing  to  penetrate.  A  second  caught  one  of  the 

240 


A  Sentence  of  Death 

troopers  beneath  the  arm  as  he  swung  his  sword 
above  his  shoulder,  and,  penetrating  to  his  heart, 
brought  him  to  the  ground  like  a  stone.  Of  the 
remainder,  two  found  a  mark  in  the  horses,  bringing 
them  with  a  terrific  concussion  to  the  soil,  where 
their  riders  were  immediately  surrounded.  But  the 
main  body  still  swept  on  till  close  to  the  natives. 
Then  indeed  did  Roger's  advice  bear  good  fruit. 
For  suddenly  the  horses  reared  and  pawed  the  air. 
Some  swerved  to  one  side,  one  of  the  last  throwing 
his  rider,  while  others  turned,  and  charging  into 
those  who  followed,  caused  the  utmost  confusion. 
But  a  considerable  number  who  occupied  a  position 
in  rear  still  kept  on,  and  rode  right  over  the  enemy. 
Once  clear,  they  halted  for  a  few  moments,  and  then, 
seeing  some  of  their  comrades  had  fallen,  they 
turned  and  charged  back  again.  However,  a  flight 
of  crossbow  shafts  and  the  determined  attitude  of 
the  natives  caused  them  to  reconsider  their  decision. 
They  were  stunned  by  their  unusual  want  of  suc- 
cess, and  by  the  methods  adopted  by  an  enemy  who 
had  hitherto  been  almost  helpless.  Then,  as  the 
latter  ran  towards  them,  eager  to  renew  the  conflict, 
they  swept  round  and  galloped  off  to  Tlascala, 
carrying  their  prisoner  with  them.  The  unfortunate 
Spaniards  who  had  been  left  behind,  and  who  were 
not  already  dead,  were  pounced  upon  with  eagerness, 
and  carried  off  to  the  nearest  town,  there  to  suffer 
the  horrible  fate  which  had  almost  come  to  Roger. 
But  the  greater  portion  of  the  enemy  gathered 
about  Teotlili,  and  discussed  their  plans  for  rescue. 
"  Halt !  Let  us  count  our  losses.  A  curse  on 
the  villains  !  Who  could  have  expected  such  a 
manoeuvre  ?  " 

247 


Roger  the  Bold 


The  Spanish  leader  threw  his  sword  blade  above 
his  head,  and  at  the  signal  the  troop  came  to  a  halt, 
the  men  eyeing  one  another  askance,  and  as  if  they 
were  ashamed.  For  this  particular  branch  of  the 
invading  army  had  been  wont  to  accept  the  praise 
of  all,  and  to  hold  their  heads  very  high.  Time  and 
again  had  their  mere  presence  awed  a  multitude  of 
many  thousands  of  native  enemies,  till  it  came  to  be 
a  saying  in  Fernando  Cortes'  force  that  the  horse- 
men could  subdue  a  nation  if  given  time.  And 
now ! 

"  A  curse  on  them  ! "  growled  the  captain  again, 
as  he  looked  round  at  his  men  and  noticed  the  gaps 
in  their  ranks.  "  I  would  that  we  had  never  had 
cause  to  go,  on  this  expedition.  For  here  have  we 
one  prisoner  alone  to  show,  and  there  are — how 
many  are  gone  ?" 

"  Five,  captain.  Pedro  killed  by  an  arrow.  Never 
have  I  seen  one  of  their  shafts  strike  so  true  and  so 
forcibly.  Leon  thrown  by  his  horse,  and  Alonso 
dragged  from  his  saddle  by  that  man  who  led  the 
enemy.  Then  there  is  Peter  of  Arragon,  and  John 
his  brother,  both  thrown  by  their  horses,  which 
were  struck  by  shafts.  May  mercy  be  shown  to 
them ! " 

The  second  in  command  told  them  off  on  his 
fingers,  nodding  sadly  at  each  name,  while  the 
captain  listened  with  glowering  looks.  The  men 
glanced  uneasily  at  one  another,  while  they  peered 
over  their  shoulders  at  the  pursuing  natives. 

"  Five  gone,  and  all  for  this  dog.  Hah !  He  is 
safe,  then,  though  the  price  is  dear.  But  listen, 
my  men.  We  have  never  had  such  a  tale  to  tell 
before." 

248 


A  Sentence  of  Death 

"And  hope  never  to  have  such  evil  fortune 
again,"  growled  the  second  in  command. 

"  Nor  such  a  low  task  to  perform,"  said  Juan, 
feeling  the  weight  of  his  prisoner,  and  fearful  lest 
he  should  yet  lead  to  his  own  captivity  and  death. 

"  We  have  always  been  the  victors,  and  men 
who  have  been  taken  have  strayed  from  the  line  of 
march.  We  were  met  in  the  early  hours  by  a  huge 
force.  You  will  recollect  that." 

He  held  his  hand  up  and  motioned  with  his  fore- 
finger as  if  to  impress  his  words. 

"  A  big  force,  in  the  half  light  of  the  early  morn- 
ing. We  hastened  to  carry  out  our  orders  by 
dashing  in  to  capture  this  tall  native.  We  were 
beset  on  every  side,  and  this  is  the  result.  We  have 
the  prisoner,  but  the  five  are  gone.  The  tale  will 
make  good  telling.  Adhere  to  the  facts." 

It  was  a  rough  and  ready  and  a  none  too  honest 
method  of  making  their  own  actions  appear  all  that 
was  desirable  before  their  comrades  and  their 
generalissimo,  and  the  men  took  to  the  tale  eagerly. 
They  set  spurs  then  to  their  horses,  and  galloped 
on  to  the  town,  the  natives  following  some  little 
way,  till  the  appearance  of  others,  allies  of  the 
Spaniards,  caused  them  to  beat  a  tardy  retreat. 
Then  the  troop  slackened  its  pace,  and  trotted 
through  the  big  gateway  into  the  long,  wide  street 
of  Tlascala,  the  houses  of  which  were  defended  by 
a  magnificent  wall  such  as  the  invaders  had  never 
seen  in  their  lives  before.  And  here  they  found 
thousands  of  natives,  all  bustling  with  preparations 
for  the  coming  siege  of  Mexico,  and  for  the  review 
which  Fernando  Cortes  was  about  to  hold  of  all 
his  troops,  Spanish  and  allies.  In  one  spot,  where 

249 


Roger  the  Bold 

there  was  a  wide  clearing,  Roger  saw  many  hun- 
dreds at  work  upon  masses  of  woodwork,  which 
they  seemed  to  be  taking  to  pieces.  These  were, 
in  fact,  the  many  brigantines  of  various  sizes  which 
Cortes  had  had  built,  under  the  able  guidance  of 
a  shipwright  in  his  company ;  and  having  been 
erected,  they  were  now  under  process  of  disunion, 
so  that  they  might  easily  be  conveyed  to  the  lake 
of  Tezcuco.  A  few  minutes  later  the  troop  came 
to  the  Spanish  quarters,  and  having  halted  and 
dismounted,  handed  their  horses  over  to  native 
servants,  of  whom  each  soldier  had  several  to 
attend  to  his  wants.  Roger  was  dragged  from  the 
saddle  as  soon  as  his  ankles  had  been  unlashed. 
Then  a  guard  fell  in  beside  him,  and  the  captain  led 
the  way. 

"To  the  generalissimo's  quarters,"  he  said,  in 
grand  tones,  pointing  to  the  broad  flag  of  Castile 
which  flew  from  one  of  the  finest  buildings.  "  There 
we  will  tell  our  tale  and  leave  this  dog.  Hah  !  I 
have  scarcely  looked  at  him  before.  He  is  tall  and 
very  fair !  Surely  not  unlike  our  own  people, 
or  those  other  fellows  who  have  pestered  the 
coast." 

"His  fine  feathers  make  him  a  native,  but  in 
appearance  he  is  English,  ventured  the  commander 
of  the  guard." 

"  Not  far  from  the  mark,  I  should  say,"  agreed 
the  captain,  staring  closely  at  his  prisoner,  and 
taking  careful  stock  of  him.  "And  were  I  asked 
I  would  swear  almost  that  he  understood  every 
word  spoken  by  us.  There  is  a  movement  of  his 
eye  which  seems  to  tell  that  he  listens  to  every 
word." 

250 


A  Sentence  of  Death 

"Then  he  would  know  of  our  ill-luck,  and 
might " 

"  He  had  better  keep  a  still  tongue  between  his 
fine  white  teeth,"  said  the  captain,  in  threatening 
tones,,  "  He  who  tells  tales  of  our  branch  of  the 
service  will  have  need  to  make  them  of  the  right 
sort,  or  else " 

"  We  shall  quarrel  with  him,  captain,"  smiled  the 
commander  of  the  guard,  sardonically.  "  It  would 
be  a  bad  day  when  the  troops  looked  at  the  cavalry 
as  common  arquebusiers,  or  as  men  who  wield  the 
crossbow." 

For  a  little  while  they  discussed  the  matter  in 
low  tones,  their  conclusion  being  that  their  prisoner 
was  undoubtedly  an  Englishman,  though  as  to 
his  knowledge  of  Spanish  they  were  more  than 
doubtful.  However,  their  doubts  were  set  at  rest 
within  a  little  while,  while  the  captain  and  his  men 
went  hot  and  cold  at  the  thought  of  the  easy  revenge 
which  Roger  might  take ;  for  already  the  tale  of 
their  losses,  and  of  the  manner  in  which  a  huge 
force  had  been  attacked,  had  been  sent  round  the 
camp  in  Tlascala.  Roger  was  marched  along  the 
main  street — a  street  which,  compared  with  ours  of 
to-day,  would  still  be  awarded  the  prize  for  general 
excellence  of  design,  ample  width  and  air  space,  and 
accommodation  for  any  possible  amount  of  traffic, 
and  was  ushered  into  the  huge  building  over  which 
the  flag  waved.  In  a  courtyard  behind,  a  council 
of  officers  was  sitting,  and  the  guard  and  their 
captive  came  to  a  halt  opposite  them.  At  once  all 
eyes  went  to  the  tall  figure  of  the  captive,  while 
Roger  himself  allowed  his  gaze  to  wander  calmly 
around  the  circle,  from  the  gaudily  dressed  native 

251 


Roger  the  Bold 

caciques  and  nobles  in  their  feather  cloaks  to  the 
Spaniards.  Lastly,  his  eye  riveted  itself  upon  one 
of  medium  height,  who  occupied  a  central  position. 
He  was  fair  for  a  Spaniard,  though  he  had  the  usual 
swarthy  complexion  of  the  race.  But  there  was  a 
certain  dignity  about  this  man  which  marked  him 
as  a  leader — a  decision  of  manner  which  his  lips, 
his  nose,  the  set  of  his  chin,  and  the  general  poise 
of  his  head  and  body  seemed  to  indicate.  And  yet, 
though  he  had  not  said  a  word  so  far,  and  none  had 
addressed  him,  Roger  felt  sure  that  he  was  the 
redoubtable  Fernando  Cortes,  the  man  who  had 
come  to  Cuba  as  a  debtor,  with  nothing  before  him, 
and  who,  owing  to  some  little  favour  which  the 
governor  of  that  island  had  shown  him,  had  at 
length  attained  to  the  leadership  of  one  of  the 
numerous  expeditions  which  left  the  new  Spanish 
possessions  every  year  without  a  single  exception. 
The  reader  will  recollect  how  that  command  had 
been  snatched  away  again  within  an  hour  almost  of 
its  having  been  given.  And  here  before  him  Roger 
saw  the  man  who  had  dared  so  much,  who  had 
defied  authority,  had  so  skilfully  managed  his  men 
that  they  had  fought  and  clung  to  him  even  through 
adversity,  while  they  had  not  grumbled  when  his 
reckless  and  wilful  act  of  destroying  the  fleet  had 
left  a  paltry  five  hundred  Spaniards  face  to  face 
with  races  already  bitterly  hostile,  and  able  to  put 
armies  into  the  field  amounting  to  many  hundreds 
of  thousands. 

"  Cool  and  calm,"  thought  Roger.  "  Says  what 
he  means,  and  sees  that  his  orders  are  carried  out. 
Trusts  his  inferiors,  and  believes  that  he  and  his 
men  are  born  fighters." 

252 


A  Sentence  of  Death 

"The  white  giant,  the  interpreter  of  the  party. 
At  last  the  net  has  fallen  round  them,"  Cortes  was 
saying  to  himself  as  he  looked  at  Roger,  and  yet 
without  giving  those  who  were  present  the  im- 
pression that  he  did  more  than  glance  at  the  prisoner. 
"  A  bold  fighter,  I  am  told.  Skilled  with  the  cross- 
bow, and  not  without  skill  in  ordering  battle.  His 
few  weeks  of  authority  have  made  a  man  of  him, 
and  he  looks  dignified  and  strong,  though  only  a 
lad  ;  but  he  must  be  frightened." 

"The  captive,"  said  the  leader  of  the  troop  of 
horse,  anxious  to  make  his  voice  heard.  "  Accord- 
ing to  orders,  generalissimo,  I  rode  from  the  town 
last  night,  and " 

"  You  have  done  well,  though  I  like  not  the  loss 
of  five  men,"  exclaimed  Cortes,  cutting  him  short, 
and  showing  that  every  piece  of  information  was 
brought  to  him.  Indeed,  he  was  wonderfully  served 
by  numerous  spies.  "  Stand  back  while  I  question 
the  man.  Your  name?" 

Roger  could  see  the  captain  of  his  escort  turn 
sallow  under  his  bronzed  skin  as  the  words  were 
addressed  in  Spanish,  and  almost  smiled  at  the 
flush  and  the  startled  look  which  the  unhappy 
leader  of  horse  displayed  as  he  answered. 

"  You  are  the  interpreter  of  this  beggarly  ship 
which  came  from  England.  You  went  ashore  to 
the  south,  and  the  ship  left  you  there,  being  chased 
by  a  Spaniard.  You  then  made  your  way  to  Mexico, 
where  I  hear  that  you  occupy  the  position  once 
given  to  me  by  their  hateful  priests." 

"  It  is  true.  You  have  the  story  correctly,"  said 
Roger. 

"And  your  comrades   sailed    for    these    parts 

253 


Roger  the  Bold 

because  of  a  golden  disc  which  was  captured.  Who 
has  that  disc  ?  Speak." 

For  a  moment  Roger  wondered  whether  he 
should  tell  his  story.  Then  he  reflected  that  the 
probabilities  were  that  Alvarez,  the  traitor,  still  had 
it,  though  he  could  not  be  sure.  Perhaps  there  was 
some  trick  in  this  question,  and,  in  any  case,  if 
Alvarez  still  had  the  disc,  and  was  keeping  it  for 
his  own  private  services,  as  seemed  now  to  be  most 
likely,  then  it  would  be  better  to  leave  that  matter 
a  secret.  He  could  answer  truthfully  with  a  denial 
of  any  knowledge. 

"The  golden  disc,"  he  said  quietly;  "the  one 
with  the  sun  on  one  side  and  a  plan  on  the  other  ? 
I  cannot  say  where  it  is.  Doubtless  Sir  Thomas 
could  tell  you.'" 

"  He  cannot.  He  refuses  to  speak.  But  I  will 
find  a  means  to  alter  his  decision."  A  scowl  came 
over  his  face,  and  he  glowered  upon  Roger,  hoping 
to  see  his  prisoner  quail.  But  he  was  disappointed. 
However,  one  thing  he  did  accomplish.  He  startled 
our  hero  by  his  words. 

"  Captured !  Can  the  men  of  the  brigantine  be 
captured  ?  " 

"Yes,"  continued  Cortes,  as  if  answering  Roger's 
question,  "  this  Sir  Thomas  and  his  men  can  say 
nothing  of  the  disc.  I  have  questioned  them.  They 
are  prisoners.  But  you  might  know." 

"  I  have  already  answered.  I  do  not  know," 
said  Roger,  firmly. 

"  Then  we  must  employ  other  means  to  this 
leader  of  yours.  But  you  can  and  will  speak  of 
other  matters.  You  have  been  an  honoured  noble 
• — a  god  even ! "  he  sneered.  "  Mexico  welcomed 

254 


A  Sentence  of  Death 

you  with  open  arms,  and  made  you  a  general. 
Therefore  you  can  speak  of  the  defences — of 
measures  taken  to  hold  our  attacks  in  check.  You 
have  been  brought  here  for  that  purpose.  Speak, 
now,  so  that  all  may  hear." 

"To  do  so  would  be  to  betray  those  who  are 
my  friends.  I  am  on  their  side,  and  their  secrets 
are  mine,  and  are  safe." 

Roger  faced  the  general  quietly,  his  arms  folded, 
and  his  head  and  shoulders  towering  over  the 
members  of  the  meeting.  His  eye  swept  along 
the  line,  and  he  looked  coldly  into  every  face  till 
he  arrived  at  that  of  the  captain  who  had  effected 
his  capture. 

"  You  mean  that  you  will  not  speak  ?  " 

Roger  nodded. 

"  I  give  you  two  minutes  to  tell  your  tale.  If 
you  fail  when  the  time  is  gone,  you  shall  be  hanged. 
To-morrow  morning  at  dawn  you  will  be  tossed 
from  the  branch  of  a  tree  and  left  to  dangle." 

The  general  looked  at  Roger  with  scowling 
brows,  while  the  company  leaned  forward  expec- 
tantly. But  Roger  was  not  to  be  frightened,  though 
he  had  expected  death  from  the  moment  of  being 
captured. 

"  Why  wait  till  to-morrow,  general  ?  "  he  asked 
coldly.  "  I  have  said  that  they  are  my  friends. 
Would  you  act  the  part  of  traitor?  Then  do  not 
ask  me  to  do  such  a  thing.  Hang  me  if  you  wish  it, 
but  let  me  be  true  to  my  side." 

"  One  minute  has  passed,"  was  the  answer,  as 
the  general  drew  out  a  cumbersome  watch.  "  Less 
than  one  minute  remains.  Afterwards " 

He  greeted  his  prisoner  with  another  ominous 

255 


Roger  the  Bold 


look ;  but  Roger  stood  his  ground  without  flinch- 
ing. He  looked  calmly  at  his  enemies,  and  bowed 
when  the  time  had  passed — bowed  so  coolly,  and 
showed  so  little  concern,  that  there  was  a  murmur 
of  applause,  while  Fernando  Cortes,  though  he  was 
bound  to  preserve  an  immovable  countenance,  dis- 
played some  admiration.  But  he  was  a  stern  man, 
and  his  word  was  his  word. 

"  At  six  of  the  clock  to-morrow  morning,"  he 
said,  snapping  the  watch  to.  "Captain,  you  will 
see  to  the  execution.  I  shall  be  there.  March  the 
prisoner  out." 


256 


CHAPTER  XIV 
Roger  is  true  to  his  Comrades 

T}  OGER  and  his  guard  of  Spaniards  marched 
JLY  out  of  the  presence  of  Fernando  Cortes  in 
silence,  the  eyes  of  all  following,  some  showing 
pity,  some  admiration  of  the  bravery  of  the  youth 
who  could  thus,  alone  amidst  enemies,  face  his 
captor  so  boldly.  As  for  the  generalissimo,  his 
scowl  left  him  as  the  doorway  and  its  curtain  inter- 
vened between  him  and  his  captive,  and  he  turned 
an  inquiring  eye  upon  his  comrades. 

"  Will  he  yield  ?    And  does  he  know  aught  of 
the  disc  ?  "  he  demanded  curtly. 

"  Nothing  of  the  disc,  I  think,"  answered  a 
bearded  warrior  dressed  in  his  full  battle  array. 
"  He  has  an  open  face,  this  tall  lad,  and  he  looked 
straight  into  your  eye  as  he  answered.  As  for 
yielding,  the  pain  of  torture  might  make  him  speak. 
But  then,  who  is  there  here  who  can  say  that  he 
himself  would  not  give  a  secret  if  there  were  those 
in  power  over  him  able  to  work  their  fell  will  on 
his  poor  body  ?  Even  strong  men  call  out  under 
those  circumstances,  though  they  do  not  always  tell 
the  truth.  But  we  would  fain  treat  the  lad  with 
gentleness.  He  is  a  fine  grown  young  man,  and  the 
English  are  not  our  enemies  at  home." 

(P566)  257  R 


Roger  the   Bold 


"  Nor  is  he  the  leader  out  here  with  this  wild- 
goose  expedition,"  exclaimed  Cortes.  "  Still,  he 
knows  of  Mexico,  and  lives  may  be  saved  and  the 
task  made  lighter.  Between  us  and  an  easy  success 
lies  his  conscience.  It  must  be  salved,  and  if  fear 
will  not  cause  him  to  alter  his  determination,  then 
we  will  see  what  other  methods  will  bring  about. 
I  do  not  like  it,  this  torture,  my  friends  ;  but,  then, 
should  the  many  suffer  for  this  one  ?  Let  him  be 
taken  to  the  hanging  to-morrow,  and  we  will  see 
what  his  frame  of  mind  is  when  his  hour  comes.  It 
will  be  easy  for  us  to  grant  a  reprieve,  and  that  may 
cause  him  to  give  way." 

Meanwhile  Roger  was  marched  through  the 
streets  of  the  town  of  Tlascala,  the  captain  leading, 
and  the  guard  about  their  prisoner  Not  a  word 
passed  between  them  till  they  arrived  at  a  large 
building  of  one  story,  placed  close  to  the  wall.  It 
had  a  single  door  on  the  side  which  faced  the  street, 
and  through  this  the  party  entered.  They  passed  to 
the  far  side  of  the  dwelling,  and  came  to  an  open 
courtyard,  about  which  were  set  walls  of  great 
height. 

"This  is  your  prison  for  to-day,"  said  the  cap- 
tain. "  Fall  out,  the  guard,  and  retire  to  the  doorway. 
Now,  Senior  Roger  de  Luce,  if  that  is  the  correct 
name,  I  have  a  request  to  make.  You  speak 
Spanish?" 

"Since  I  was  a  boy,"  answered  Roger,  with  a 
faint  smile. 

"  And  you  heard  our  chatter  when  we  rode  into 
the  town?  You  listened  to  our  tale  ?" 

"  The  one  which  now  runs  round  the  town  ?  Yes, 
I  heard  it.  It  meets  the  occasion  well." 

268 


Roger  is  true  to  his  Comrades 

"  It  would  go  hard  with  us  if  the  right  story 
were  to  be  known.  Will  you  keep  silent  till  after 
to-morrow  ?  Then " 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders,  pulled  off  his  helmet, 
and  ran  his  rough  sleeve  across  his  perspiring 
forehead. 

"  It  is  only  for  a  little  while,"  he  said  lamely. 
"  Will  you  promise  ?" 

"  Gladly,  on  certain  conditions.  You  have  a 
tongue,  and  can  speak.  After  to-morrow  it  can 
matter  nothing  to  you  or  any  one  whether  I  knew 
or  not.  Will  you  tell  me  of  my  comrades  ?  A 
bargain  is  a  bargain.  My  silence  for  your  news." 

Fortunately  for  Roger  the  Spaniard  had  no  fine 
feelings  on  the  matter.  This  news  concerning  the 
English  was  common  knowledge  to  all  in  the  town, 
and  therefore  might  be  safely  told  to  the  prisoner. 
It  would  be  a  cheap  price  at  which  to  buy  his 
silence. 

"  I  agree,"  he  said.     "And  you  promise? " 

"  I  give  my  word.     Your  tale  is  safe." 

"  Then  the  English  ship  was  captured.  She  is 
but  a  puny  brigantine,  and  our  vessels  overhauled 
her  in  a  light  wind.  A  shot  hulled  her,  and  a  second 
brought  down  a  mast.  She  fell  a  captive,  and  the 
master  and  crew  are  prisoners  here.  'Tis  said  that 
they  would  have  been  hanged  long  since  were  it  not 
for  the  disc,  though  what  value,  save  for  its  gold, 
there  can  be  in  the  thing  I  cannot  say.  Still,  'tis 
whispered  that  Fernando  Cortes  keeps  life  within 
their  bodies  for  one  purpose,  and  that  they  will 
dwell  in  captivity  here  till  the  city  of  Mexico  is 
taken  and  the  nation  is  quelled.  Then  they  will  die, 
without  doubt ;  for  in  coming  to  Spain's  preserves 

259 


Roger  the  Bold 

you  and  your  comrades  have  courted  and  earned 
your  death.  That  is  the  tale.  You  know  now  what 
has  happened." 

"  But  are  they  here,  in  this  town  ? "  demanded 
Roger. 

The  captain  looked  suspiciously  at  him,  and 
pulled  thoughtfully  at  his  beard. 

"  It  can  do  no  harm,"  he  murmured.  "  The  youth 
is  as  secure  as  a  bird  in  a  cage,  and  there  is  but  till 
to-morrow.  They  are  here,"  he  said  aloud. 

"  Where  ?  "  asked  Roger,  quietly.  "  Surely  it 
will  not  matter  if  I  know." 

"  I  will  tell  you.  I  admire  your  courage,  and  you 
are  a  good  fellow  to  keep  this  matter  to  yourself. 
They  are  within  this  very  building.  It  is  the  prison, 
and  on  the  far  side  of  the  wall  are  the  English 
prisoners." 

The  Spaniard  nodded  carelessly  to  the  wall  on 
his  right,  and  turned  to  go. 

"  You  have  heard,"  he  said,  "  and  I  can  trust  you. 
Then  I  will  leave.  To-morrow " 

"At  six  of  the  clock  we  shall  meet  again," 
answered  Roger,  coolly. 

He  stood  looking  after  the  Spaniard  till  the  latter 
had  gone,  and  then  slowly  crossed  the  wide  court- 
yard till  he  reached  the  shade  beyond,  where  he 
threw  himself  down  at  full  length.  For  the  first 
time  he  had  an  opportunity  of  reflecting  upon  his 
position,  and  its  seriousness  impressed  him  now 
with  all  its  intensity.  He  was  a  captive,  with 
enemies  all  about  him,  and  death  promised  at  sun- 
rise on  the  following  morning.  But  he  could  escape 
that  fate  if  he  spoke  and  told  this  Fernando  Cortes 
what  had  happened  in  Mexico.  It  would  be  so  easy 

260 


Roger  is  true  to  his  Comrades 

to  speak  about  the  lances,  the  men  who  had  been 
trained  to  use  them,  and  the  hundreds  who  hoped 
to  wield  a  similar  weapon  when  the  siege  became 
an  accomplished  fact.  Then  there  were  the  soldiers 
with  the  crossbow.  These  men  could,  with  their 
own  bows  and  arrows,  hit  an  ear  of  corn  when  tossed 
into  the  air,  and  strip  it  of  every  grain  ere  it  reached 
the  ground,  provided  there  were  a  sufficient  number 
of  them.  With  the  new  bow  they  had  soon  made 
excellent  practice,  as  the  captain  of  horse  had  dis- 
covered. Roger  remembered  that  the  dent  had 
caught  his  eye  not  a  minute  before,  and  had  caused 
him  to  feel  a  sense  of  pride  and  pleasure.  How 
easy  to  whisper  a  word  of  these  men,  to  speak  of 
the  defences  outside,  of  the  hidden  canoes,  and  of 
the  men  with  poles  and  hooks.  And  he  had  known 
the  Mexicans  for  so  short  a  time,  and — and  his  life 
was  at  stake. 

"  Pooh !  They  would  hang  me  later  on  with  my 
comrades  if  not  to-morrow,"  he  exclaimed  aloud, 
rising  to  his  feet  and  stalking  backwards  and  for- 
wards as  if  his  thoughts  had  given  him  cause  for 
vexation.  "  And,  besides,  friends  are  friends,  and  I 
will  not  be  the  one  to  tell  tales  even  for  such  a 
stake.  This  Cortes  shall  find  things  out  for  him- 
self, and  discover  that  an  English  lad  is  not  so 
easily  frightened." 

Having  made  up  his  mind  on  the  matter,  he  gave 
it  scarcely  another  thought,  though  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  that  his  impending  end  weighed  upon 
his  mind.  But  Roger  had  been  closer  to  death.  He 
had  looked  the  scarlet-robed  priest  in  the  face,  and 
had  seen  the  glint  of  the  obsidian  blade  which  he 
carried.  And  he  had  been  within  a  few  feet  of  the 

261 


Roger  the   Bold 


hideous  altar  on  which  the  sacrifice  was  laid.  Why 
should  he  falter  now?  Let  him  think  of  his  com- 
rades, of  the  brigantine,  and  of  Tamba  and  Teotlili. 

"  They  will  attempt  a  rescue,"  he  said  to  himself. 
"  I  am  sure  of  that,  and  the  fact  of  their  pursuing 
shows  how  earnest  they  are.  Tamba  will  never 
rest  till  I  am  dead,  and  then  he  will  become  worse 
than  an  enemy  to  these  Spaniards.  I  shall  wait  for 
the  night,  and  shall  not  give  up  hope  till  the  morning 
dawns.  I  wish  I  could  reach  Sir  Thomas  and  Philip 
and  old  Peter  Tamworth.  It  would  be  nice  to  look 
on  his  face  again." 

The  thought  sent  him  to  the  wall,  on  the  far  side 
of  which  the  Spanish  captain  had  told  him  that  Sir 
Thomas  and  his  comrades  lay,  and  he  inspected  it 
carefully.  It  was  built  of  dried  mud,  and  presented 
a  smooth  surface  some  twenty  feet  in  height. 
Clearly  the  task  of  clambering  to  the  top  was  out 
of  the  question  And,  besides,  his  guards  would 
discover  the  action,  and  there  would  be  trouble. 

"All  depends  on  their  posts,"  said  Roger, 
thoughtfully.  "The  men  who  brought  me  here 
seem  to  have  marched  away  again,  and  1  have  seen 
no  one.  I  will  stroll  to  the  doorway  and  watch." 

He  moved  slowly  across  the  square,  inspecting 
the  walls  and  the  tiled  flooring,  till  he  came  to  the 
doorway  which  gave  access  to  the  long  passage-way 
leading  to  the  street  beyond.  There  was  a  dark 
figure  standing  in  the  sunlight,  and  he  bore  a  javelin 
of  native  manufacture  over  his  shoulder.  A  second 
native  joined  him  at  that  moment,  while  within  a 
few  minutes  Roger  caught  sight  of  others.  It  was 
clear  that  the  guard  was  composed  of  allies  alone, 
and  that  they  considered  the  walls  of  the  square 

262 


Roger  is  true  to  his  Comrades 

sufficient  protection  against  escape.  The  doorway 
was  the  only  exit,  and  they  filled  that,  while  in  the 
space  of  ten  or  more  minutes  some  hundreds  of 
natives  passed  along  the  street. 

"They  seem  to  have  made  up  their  minds  to 
leave  me  alone,"  thought  Roger.  "  But  I  should 
like  something  to  eat.  I  will  call,  and  ask  for  food 
and  water." 

He  strolled  into  the  passage,  and  called  softly  to 
the  sentry,  using  the  few  Aztec  words  with  which 
he  was  acquainted. 

"  Bring  me  food  and  drink,"  he  said.  "  I  am 
hungry,  and  have  been  travelling  since  early 
morning." 

The  sentry  turned  at  once,  and  bowed  respect- 
fully, while  he  called  to  a  comrade.  The  latter  soon 
appeared,  bearing  some  meat  and  fruit,  and  a  vessel 
filled  with  native  wine.  He,  too,  paid  his  prisoner 
marked  attention. 

"  The  orders  are  that  you  shall  have  all  that  you 
require,"  he  said  in  fair  Spanish.  "  Does  my  lord 
need  anything  more  ?  A  knife,  perhaps,  with  which 
to  cut  this  meat?" 

Roger  was  astounded,  and  looked  at  the  man 
closely.  A  knife !  Why,  with  that  he  might  effect 
an  escape.  But  he  had  hardly  had  time  to  express 
astonishment  when  the  man's  tone  suddenly 
changed,  though  he  was  still  polite. 

"This  is  the  meal,"  he  said,  "and  I  have  orders 
to  supply  your  wants.  I  will  return  within  a  few 
minutes,  and  see  how  you  are  faring." 

He  placed  the  dish  on  the  ground  in  a  shady 
corner,  and  turned  to  leave.  Then,  for  the  first 
time,  Roger  noticed  that  the  sentry  had  softly  crept 

263 


Roger  the  Bold 


through  the  passage,  and  stood  at  the  doorway 
looking  on.  He  made  way  for  the  attendant  to 
pass,  and  as  the  latter  slipped  by  him,  Roger 
noticed  a  swift  movement  of  his  hand.  It  went  to 
his  lips,  and  he  shot  an  expressive  glance  at  the 
prisoner. 

"  Strange,"  thought  Roger,  as  he  sat  down  to  his 
meal,  and  commenced  to  eat,  without  taking  notice 
of  the  sentry.  "  That  was  a  signal.  But  the  man  is 
dressed  in  the  uniform  of  these  Tlascalan  allies  of 
Spain.  Can  he  be  a  friend?  Can  Teotlili  have 
come  here  already,  and  set  the  wheels  in  motion 
which  may  lead  to  my  rescue? " 

It  was  impossible  to  answer  the  question,  though 
a  signal  had  certainly  been  given.  Roger  could 
scarcely  swallow  the  food  owing  to  excitement,  for 
now  that  the  merest  thought  of  rescue  had  come  to 
mind,  he  realized  the  awful  position  he  was  in,  and 
the  dread  fate  awaiting  him.  Spaniards  were  re- 
puted to  have  little  mercy,  and  he  had  lived  in  their 
country,  and  knew  that  the  tale  was  true. 

"  I  will  watch  the  attendant  carefully,"  thought 
Roger,  "  and  speak  to  him  if  I  have  an  opportunity. 
I  can  see  the  door  and  some  little  way  into  the 
passage  from  here,  and  by  moving  a  little  to  one 
side,  I  shall  be  able  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  street 
beyond,  for  the  sun  strikes  full  into  it,  and  it  is 
brilliant.  Then  I  can  tell  whether  the  sentry  is 
coming  or  not.  Yes,  and  I'll  take  no  notice  of  the 
attendant,  though  I  will  speak  to  him." 

He  ate  his  meal  rapidly,  and  took  a  draught  of 
wine.  Then  he  lolled  on  his  side,  and  as  if  unable 
to  obtain  complete  comfort,  moved  a  few  feet  away, 
till  he  could  see  into  the  street.  Then  he  yawned 

264 


Roger  is  true  to  his  Comrades 

as  the  sentry  looked  in,  stretched  his  arms,  and 
finally  lay  down  on  his  face,  burying  his  head  in  his 
arms.  But  he  gradually  shifted  the  position  of  his 
head,  and  at  length  lay  in  such  a  position  that  he 
seemed  to  be  sleeping  while  he  really  kept  watch 
on  the  door.  A  little  later  the  attendant  entered, 
and  Roger  saw  him  make  the  same  signal  again,  and 
saw  also  that  the  native  realized  that  he  was  pre- 
tending sleep.  He  crossed  the  square  leisurely,  and 
when  he  had  arrived  at  the  vessel  which  contained 
wine,  he  stooped  to  pick  it  up.  At  that  moment  the 
sentry  happened  to  glance  in,  and  Roger  saw  him 
laugh  as  the  attendant  slipped  and  fell  full  length. 
He  watched  for  a  moment  as  the  man  picked  him- 
self up,  and  then  resumed  his  beat,  as  if  satisfied 
that  the  fall  was  the  result  of  accident.  But  his 
sharp  eye  had  failed  to  detect  a  quick  movement. 
As  the  man  fell,  a  steel  dagger  had  tumbled  from 
his  belt,  where  it  was  hidden  beneath  his  cotton 
tunic,  and  an  accidental  touch  of  his  hand  had  sent 
it  close  to  Roger.  Our  hero's  hand  went  out  slowly 
as  the  sentry  turned  away,  and  in  a  moment  the 
weapon  was  concealed,  while  the  attendant  was 
busily  engaged  in  brushing  the  dust  of  his  fall  from 
his  limbs  and  clothing. 

"You  are  a  friend.  What  is  the  news?"  de- 
manded Roger,  in  low  tones. 

"  A  rescue  to-night,  in  the  far  corner.  Be  ready, 
my  lord." 

The  man  turned  to  the  corner,  so  as  to  point  it 
out,  and  burst  into  a  roar  of  laughter,  while  he 
rubbed  his  shins  energetically.  Roger  glanced  at 
the  doorway,  and  saw  the  reason  for  such  strange 
conduct,  for  the  sentry  was  there  again,  and  had 

265 


Roger  the  Bold 


advanced  some  little  way  into  the  passage.  How- 
ever, the  action  of  the  attendant  was  so  natural  that 
no  suspicion  was  aroused. 

"The  clumsy  fellow!"  said  the  sentry,  with  a 
grunt.  "  He  will  break  his  head  one  of  these  days, 
and  will  not  get  off  so  lightly.  Ah !  The  giant, 
who  our  enemies  say  is  the  long-expected  god  of 
air,  is  angry  at  being  aroused.  I  would  not  en- 
counter his  wrath  for  anything,  for  doubtless  his 
powers  are  great.  Did  he  not  go  to  the  foot  of  the 
altar,  and  there  defeat  priests  and  nobles  alike  ?  " 

It  was  evident  that  Roger  had  adherents  even  in 
the  enemy's  camp,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  although 
these  native  allies  hated  the  Mexicans  because  of 
the  taxes  imposed,  and  because  of  their  overbearing 
manners  in  former  years,  yet  their  beliefs  were  the 
same,  though  they  did  not  perhaps  practise  the 
human  sacrifice  to  such  an  extent.  Still,  their 
deities  were  common  to  the  Mexicans,  and  they,  too, 
had  looked  for  the  coming  of  this  mythical  god  of 
air.  Secretly  they  thought  much  of  Roger,  and 
grieved  at  the  thought  of  his  coming  execution. 

Meanwhile  Roger  had  acted  his  part  with  swift- 
ness and  discretion.  He  had  replied  to  the  rude 
laughter  of  the  attendant  with  a  scowl  and  with 
seemingly  angry  words,  and  so  well  did  he  play  his 
role  that  the  sentry  turned  on  his  heel  and  marched 
down  the  street,  to  relate  the  misfortune  which  had 
happened  to  the  attendant.  It  was,  in  fact,  a  wel- 
come episode  in  the  long  and  weary  duty  of  acting 
sentry. 

"Who  will  come?"  demanded  Roger.  "And 
who  are  you  ?  " 

"  My  lord  Teotlili  and  a  servant.  There  will 
266 


Roger  is  true  to  his  Comrades 

be  more  besides.  As  for  me,  I  am  a  friend  to  the 
Spaniards,  or  was  till  this  last  week.  Hush  !  They 
have  taken  my  wife  and  my  daughter  from  me,  and 
I  will  therefore  leave  them.  To-night,  my  lord,  and 
in  that  corner." 

"Wait,"  said  Roger,  eagerly,  while  he  curled 
himself  up  as  if  about  to  seek  sleep  once  more. 
"  What  of  the  other  English  prisoners  ?  They  must 
be  rescued." 

"  Impossible,  my  lord.  The  town  swarms  with 
natives  and  with  Spaniards.  Escape  for  you  is  well- 
nigh  out  of  the  question.  For  many  it  is  hopeless." 

"  Listen,"  said  Roger,  sternly,  as  he  buried  his 
head  in  his  arms  again,  as  if  he  had  done  with  the 
man.  "  These  comrades  of  mine  must  be  rescued. 
Bid  Teotlili  make  arrangements  to  take  them  also. 
Say  that  it  is  my  wish  and  my  order,  and  that  unless 
it  is  carried  out  I  do  not  take  advantage  of  their 
efforts.  Now  go.  I  shall  be  ready  to-night  when 
the  time  comes,  but  only  if  the  others  are  taken 
also." 

It  was  almost  comical  to  watch  the  attendant's 
expression  as  the  words  reached  his  ear,  strange 
words,  too,  for  who  amongst  the  natives  ever 
heard  of  such  a  proposal?  Here  was  a  young 
man,  condemned  to  die  at  sunrise,  and  he  declined 
to  be  rescued  unless  comrades  received  help  also. 
It  was  sheer  madness,  ingratitude  almost  to  those 
who  were  taking  such  risks  for  him,  and  who  well 
might  fall  victims  themselves.  His  chin  dropped, 
his  eyes  opened  to  the  fullest  extent  of  the  lids,  and 
he  stared  at  Roger  spellbound. 

"  Fool !  The  sentry  will  suspect,"  said  our 
hero,  sharply.  "  You  heard  the  message  and  my 

267 


Roger  the   Bold 


determination.  Then  go,  and  bring  me  more  food 
later  on.  I  shall  be  hungry  before  the  night  comes, 
and  a  hungry  man  is  weak.  Besides,  you  may  have 
news." 

He  shut  his  eyes  as  if  already  asleep,  and  when 
the  sentry  again  passed  the  doorway  he  observed 
the  prisoner  lying  still  in  the  shade,  and  the  atten- 
dant bearing  the  jar  and  the  remains  of  the  repast 
away,  looking  ruefully  at  his  shins  as  he  came. 

"  A  clumsy  fall,"  remarked  the  sentry.  "  In  the 
days  of  Mexican  power  a  tumble  like  that  in  the 
presence  of  so  great  a  man  might  have  led  to 
trouble." 

"  It  has  done  so  now,  comrade,"  was  the  answer. 
"  My  lord  was  asleep,  and  scolded  me.  But  I  am 
forgiven,  though  I  cannot  easily  excuse  myself. 
However,  he  sleeps  again,  and  will  continue  to  do 
so.  It  is  a  farce  setting  a  watch  over  him  when 
there  are  so  many  of  us  about  and  the  walls  are  so 
high." 

The  sentry  evidently  cordially  approved  of  this 
statement,  for  he  continued  his  beat,  grumbling  at 
the  task,  at  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  at  the  fate  which 
had  set  him  there,  pacing  aimlessly  up  and  down, 
when  he  might  have  been  in  his  own  house  enjoy- 
ing the  society  of  his  wife  and  children.  As  for  the 
attendant,  he  sauntered  along  the  street,  carrying 
the  jar,  till  he  came  to  the  end  of  the  building,  where 
he  turned  into  a  low  doorway.  Within  he  deposited 
the  jar,  and  then  stole  softly  to  the  back  of  the  house. 
A  flight  of  stone  steps  led  to  the  roof,  where  there 
was  a  tower,  and  he  proceeded  to  clamber  to  the 
summit  of  it.  Once  on  the  roof,  he  kept  in  a  crouch- 
ing position,  and  gradually  raised  his  head  to  an 

208 


Roger  is  true  to  his  Comrades 

aperture  in  the  surrounding  wall.  There  was  a 
tower  on  another  dwelling  some  yards  away,  and  a 
man  occupied  that  also,  one  of  his  comrades  by  his 
dress.  But  he,  too,  made  every  effort  to  keep  away 
from  the  observation  of  those  in  the  street  below, 
and,  beyond  signalling  his  presence  to  his  comrade 
who  had  just  appeared,  made  no  movement.  Five 
minutes  later,  however,  when  the  street  was  empty, 
and  no  one  seemed  to  be  approaching,  he  put  his 
hands  to  his  mouth,  and  called  softly  to  his  com- 
rade, his  voice  easily  penetrating  to  the  other 
tower. 

"What  fortune?"  he  demanded  in  Spanish,  and 
in  tones  which  strangely  resembled  those  of  Tamba. 
"  Is  my  lord  well  and  unharmed  ?  Speak,  for  if  he 
has  been  hurt  I  will  go  at  once  to  do  the  bidding  of 
Teotlili.  I  will  seek  for  this  Malinche,  and  will 
throw  myself  on  him,  and  slay  him  with  my  dagger." 

His  eyes  blazed  as  he  said  the  words,  and  he 
rose  till  the  whole  of  his  head  was  visible. 

"  Hush  !  Be  cautious.  You  will  ruin  all,  and  we 
shall  be  tortured,"  answered  the  attendant,  fretfully, 
and  with  an  anxious  glance  down  the  street.  "Such 
an  attempt  would  cause  us  both  to  be  killed.  I  will 
not  help  you,  and  if  you  threaten  to  perform  such  a 
reckless  act  I  will  have  nothing  more  to  do  with 
your  party." 

"Then  you  will  make  friends  once  more  with  the 
Spaniards.  You  will  fawn  upon  and  lick  the  hands 
of  these  wretcheswho  have  taken  your  wife  and  child. 
Listen,  and  I  will  tell  you  my  tale.  I  am  from  Cuba, 
where  these  Spaniards  came,  as  they  have  come  to 
you,  with  fair  promises  and  with  welcoming  smiles. 
We  formed  an  alliance  with  them  at  first,  till  it  was 

269 


Roger  the  Bold 


too  late.  Then  we  became  their  slaves,  while  our 
wives  and  children  were  snatched  from  us.  Our 
miseries  were  so  great  that  thousands  hanged  them- 
selves. That  is  what  you  will  do.  Is  it  better  to 
risk  death  now,  or  to  wait  for  slavery  and  for  the 
misery  which  is  certain  to  follow?  Go  to  your 
masters.  Tell  them  that  they  may  have  all  that  you 
love.  We  will  find  others  to  help  us." 

Indignation  had  roused  Tamba  thoroughly,  while 
his  anxiety  for  his  master  made  him  more  than  bitter. 
But  he  was  a  shrewd  native,  and  long  suffering  had 
taught  him  much.  By  speaking  as  he  had  done  he 
brought  before  the  Tlascalan  the  full  weight  of  the 
injury  done  him,  and  revived  his  bitterness  and 
hatred.  It  was  a  masterly  stroke,  and  at  once  con* 
verted  the  half-hearted  native  to  the  side  of  the 
Mexicans. 

"  You  are  right,"  he  said  humbly.  "  I  cannot  take 
the  hand  of  these  barbarians  again.  I  will  help,  even 
if  it  be  in  an  attack  upon  Malinche.  But  my  lord  is 
not  hurt.  I  have  spoken  to  him,  and  he  will  be  ready 
to-night;  but " 

"  But  what  ?  Is  he  ill,  or  did  he  suffer  a  wound 
in  the  attack  yesterday  ?  " 

Again  Tamba  stretched  far  out  of  his  hiding-place, 
till  the  frantic  signal  of  the  native  caused  him  to  sink 
back  again. 

"  He  is  well — have  I  not  said  so  ?  "  he  called  out 
testily.  "  But  he  will  not  be  rescued  unless  his  com- 
rades are  taken.  His  message  to  Teotlili  was  strict. 
If  you  come  to-night,  he  will  go  only  on  condition 
that  the  others  are  taken.  Otherwise  he  will  wait 
and  be  hanged." 

Tamba's  dusky  face  went  a  pallid  hue  at  the  news, 

270 


Roger  is  true  to  his  Comrades 

and  this  time  he  sank  back  on  his  knees  as  if  some 
one  had  struck  him  a  blow. 

"  Not  escape  unless  we  can  take  the  others  !  "  he 
gasped.  "  It  is  like  my  master.  He  thinks  always 
of  his  comrades." 

For  a  little  while  he  was  silent.  Then  he  leaned 
forward  again. 

"  Go  to  the  prisoner  as  soon  as  you  can,"  he  said, 
"  and  say  that  we  will  obey  his  wishes.  An  attempt 
will  be  made  to  take  all  from  the  prison." 

The  signal  passed  again  between  the  two,  and 
they  crept  from  their  perches,  no  one  in  the  town  of 
Tlascala  having  observed  them.  Some  three  or 
four  hours  later  the  attendant  went  again  to  the 
prison,  and  having  bandied  a  few  words  with  the 
sentry,  entered  with  a  dish  of  food  and  another  jar 
of  wine.  He  found  the  prisoner  still  apparently 
asleep  and  disinclined  to  be  disturbed.  But  Roger 
w(as  in  fact  wide  awake,  and  had  been  looking  for 
the  return  of  the  native. 

"  Have  you  news  ?"  he  demanded.  "  Will  they 
follow  my  orders  ?  " 

"  To-night  all  will  be  rescued  if  that  is  possible," 
was  the  answer,  as  the  man  set  down  the  dish  and 
the  wine.  "  I  have  seen  Tamba,  my  lord's  servant, 
and  he  has  given  the  promise.  To-night  all  who 
came  to  this  country  in  the  ship  which  was  recently 
taken  by  the  Spaniards  shall  be  rescued.  Let  my 
lord  look  to  the  corner.  He  will  find  a  cool  spot 
there  in  which  to  sleep." 

There  was  a  crafty  smile  on  his  face  as  he  spoke, 
and  he  made  the  same  signal  as  formerly.  Then 
having  asked  if  Roger  required  anything  more,  he 
bowed  to  him  and  withdrew. 

271 


Roger  the  Bold 


"  The  prisoner  will  give  you  no  trouble  to-night," 
he  said  to  the  sentry,  a  new  one  by  now,  the  other 
having  been  relieved.  "  He  passes  his  time  in  sleep 
and  in  eating.  These  white  men  are  strange,  for  the 
thought  of  death  at  sunrise  has  few  fears  for  them." 

"  Not  for  this  tall  god  of  air,"  was  the  answer. 
"  A  fine  man,  and  fit  to  fill  an  honoured  post !  'Tis 
a  pity  that  he  should  be  slain.  But  that  is  not  my 
business.  I  am  thankful  that  he  is  peaceful,  for  were 
he  to  walk  towards  me  and  attempt  to  escape,  I  could 
not  stop  him.  I  could  not  even  cast  this  javelin  at 
him." 

"  Have  no  fear.  He  is  quiet,"  said  the  attendant. 
"  You  will  be  undisturbed." 

An  hour  or  two  later  it  began  to  get  dark,  and 
Roger,  who  had  meanwhile  eaten  the  food  and  taken 
the  wine,  dragged  some  native  mats,  supplied  for  a 
bed,  into  the  corner,  and  there  he  threw  himself 
down,  his  position  enabling  him  to  keep  a  watch  on 
the  summit  of  the  wall,  where  it  cut  clear  and  dark 
against  the  sky. 

"  If  they  come  I  shall  see  them,"  he  said.  "  1 
shall  wait  till  after  midnight,  and  if  after  that  there 
is  no  sign  of  them,  I  shall  try  to  cut  a  ladder  in  the 
wall." 

There  was  no  use  in  being  despondent,  and  there- 
fore he  lay  there  droning  to  himself,  or  thinking  of 
his  friends  in  England.  Once  he  heard  a  step  behind 
him,  a  silent  stealthy  step,  and  guessing  that  it  was 
the  sentry,  spoke  to  him  without  turning  his  head. 

"  Why  do  you  creep  in  ? "  he  asked  quietly. 
"You  disturb  my  slumbers.  Retire  at  once  and 
leave  me." 

The  man  was  astounded.  He  thought  that  he 
272 


Roger  is  true  to  his  Comrades 

had  made  no  sound,  and  it  was  uncanny  to  be  ad- 
dressed by  the  prisoner  when  he  had  not  even  turned 
his  head.  , 

He  bowed  and  went  away  apologizing  for  his 
suspicions,  leaving  Roger  to  himself. 

"  Hist !    My  lord !    Tamba  is  above." 

It  wanted  yet  some  three  hours  to  midnight  when 
the  words  came  softly  to  our  hero's  ears,  and  looking 
up  he  saw  a  dark  outline  crouching  close  to  the  wall 
just  above  his  head.  Then  the  tinkle  of  some  metal 
instrument  was  heard,  and  groping  in  the  darkness 
his  hand  came  in  contact  with  a  sword.  Thoughtful 
Tamba !  He  had  taken  pains  at  the  very  first  to  see 
that  his  master  was  armed,  believing  that  if  the  alarm 
were  given  he  was  capable  of  escaping  unaided. 
But  the  rope  to  which  the  sword  was  attached  was 
a  stout  one,  made  of  soft  cotton,  and  Roger  guessed 
its  purpose,  and  grasped  it  with  both  hands.  The 
sword  he  slipped  into  his  belt,  while  he  placed  the 
blade  of  the  dagger  between  his  teeth. 

"  Ready  above  ?  "  he  demanded  softly.  "  Then 
hold  on,  for  I  am  coming." 


CB  666)  273 


CHAPTER  XV 
Back  to  Mexico 

"  f  T  1ST !  Silence ! "  It  was  Tamba's  voice  again 
11  which  came  from  the  top  of  the  wall,  and 
at  the  sound  Roger  halted.  Already  his  hands  had 
grasped  the  cotton  rope  which  had  been  thrown  to 
him,  and  he  was  in  the  act  of  clambering  up  when 
he  heard  the  warning. 

"  Come  quickly !  I  hear  men  about !  Climb  for 
your  life ! " 

This  time  Tamba  leaned  over  till  it  seemed  that 
he  must  lose  his  balance  and  topple  to  the  ground. 
He  jerked  at  the  rope,  and  Roger  began  to  clamber 
up  as  rapidly  as  he  could,  though  he  found  that  a 
soft  cotton  affair  of  this  description  was  not  the 
easiest  thing  to  make  one's  way  up.  However,  at 
length  he  arrived,  and  the  faithful  native  dragged 
him  on  to  the  top  of  the  wall. 

"  Lie  flat,  my  lord,"  he  whispered.  "  I  still  hear 
voices  and  men  walking,  and  I  am  nervous  of  inter- 
ference. There !  Listen  to  that !  The  Spaniards 
are  about." 

Roger  did  as  he  was  told,  and  squeezed  his  huge 
proportions  as  close  to  the  top  of  the  wall  as  he 
could.  And  as  he  lay  there  and  listened,  rollicking 
laughter  came  to  his  ear.  Men  were  passing  down 


Back  to  Mexico 

the  main  street  of  Tlascala,  and  they  were 
Spaniards.  They  were  in  excellent  spirits  too,  for 
their  laughter  filled  the  air,  while  one  of  the  band 
set  up  some  popular  refrain,  and  his  comrades 
joined  in  whenever  he  came  to  the  chorus,  swelling 
the  sound  till  the  town  rang  with  it. 

"  Invaders  who  have  been  having  a  merry  night," 
thought  Roger.  "  They  have  been  dining  together 
and  drinking  success  to  their  coming  expedition. 
Ah  !  There  are  others." 

He  lifted  his  head  and  listened  to  the  hoarse 
voice  of  some  other  Spaniard  coming  from  the  far 
end  of  the  street,  and  soon  learned  that  it  was  the 
sentry  stationed  opposite  the  quarters  of  Fernando 
Cortes. 

"  To  bed ! "  the  man  called  out.  "  Stop  your 
noise  and  get  to  your  quarters,  or  there  will  be 
trouble.  The  general  has  retired  this  three  hours 
and  more,  and  he  will  not  thank  you  for  awaking 
him  when  he  has  to  be  out  so  early.  Get  home  and 
be  silent." 

The  crash  of  his  clumsy  arquebus  could  be  heard 
as  he  brought  the  stock  to  the  ground,  while  Roger 
noted  that  the  merrymakers  still  went  on  with 
their  song,  though  their  voices  were  now  less  noisy 
than  before.  They  passed  the  sentry,  chaffing  him 
as  they  went,  and  then,  when  they  had  increased 
their  distance  from  the  headquarters,  shouted  at 
the  top  of  their  voices.  But  soon  the  noise  died 
down,  and  not  a  sound  broke  the  silence.  It  was 
time  to  move  again.  Roger  turned  to  Tamba. 

"The  others?"  he  asked.  "Where  is  Teotlili, 
and  what  preparations  has  he  made  ?" 

"  He  is  outside,  my  lord,"  was  the  answer.  "  He 
275 


Roger  the  Bold 


is  waiting  till  you  have  come  to  him,  when  he  will 
attempt  the  other  rescue.  We  have  a  dozen  ropes 
with  us,  and  those  will  be  sufficient  to  pass  all 
the  prisoners  out.  There  are  thirty-four  in  all,  so 
that  they  should  be  able  to  climb  within  a  few 
minutes.  If  there  is  an  alarm,  my  lord  will  be  safe 
outside,  and  can  escape.  That  is  Teotlili's  arrange- 
ment." 

"But  it  will  not  suit  me,"  whispered  Roger. 
"Have  my  comrades  been  warned?  For  if  not, 
they  will  be  too  surprised  to  take  advantage  of  the 
opportunity.  Or  they  may  think  that  it  is  a  ruse 
on  the  part  of  the  Spaniards.  Who  knows  ?  They 
will  certainly  feel  suspicious.  I  will  go  down  to 
them,  and  then  send  them  up.  But  one  moment. 
How  many  men  are  there  outside  ?  " 

Tamba  waited  a  few  seconds,  calculating  the 
number  before  he  answered. 

"  Three  hundred,  perhaps,"  he  said.  "  They  came 
to  our  help  eagerly,  and  they  hung  on  the  tracks  of 
the  men  who  made  you  a  captive.  They  have  sworn 
to  rescue  you.  For  your  friends  they  do  not  care 
so  much,  though  Teotlili  will  be  glad  to  have  them 
also.  You  are  the  main  reason  for  our  being  here — 
the  only  reason,  in  fact." 

"  What  preparations  have  been  made  for  flight  ?  " 
demanded  Roger,  in  low  tones.  "Quick,  Tamba, 
for  we  must  not  delay." 

"  None,"  was  the  quick  reply.  "  None  that  I  am 
aware  of.  We  were  to  effect  a  rescue,  and  then  cut 
across  to  Mexico  direct.  We  should  be  there  soon 
after  dawn  on  the  morrow." 

"  Not  if  we  do  not  take  precautions  to  hoodwink 
these  people,"  thought  our  hero.  "  If  there  is  no 

276 


Back  to  Mexico 

alarm,  all  the  better  for  us,  and  we  shall  reach 
Mexico  safely.  But  supposing  there  is  some  noise, 
and  this  attempt  is  discovered,  we  shall  be  pursued 
and  shall  be  taken.  There  are  thousands  of  natives 
in  this  town." 

"And  a  hundred  thousand  outside,"  whispered 
Tamba.  "  The  country  swarms  with  them." 

For  a  minute  or  more  there  was  silence.  Then 
Roger  again  addressed  Tamba. 

"  Drop  the  ropes  into  the  compound  where  the 
prisoners  are,"  he  said  with  decision.  "  Then  go  to 
Teotlili.  Give  him  this  message.  He  is  to  send  a 
hundred  of  his  natives  to  the  far  end  of  the  town  at 
once — I  mean  to  the  end  opposite  to  that  from  which 
we  shall  escape.  If  they  hear  an  alarm  they  are  to 
shout  and  rush  at  any  of  the  native  allies  of  the 
Spanish  that  they  may  see.  They  are  to  attract 
attention  to  themselves,  and  then  are  to  disappear 
in  the  darkness.  The  remainder  will  divide  them- 
selves up  into  four  bodies,  and  each  one  will  take 
an  equal  number  of  my  comrades.  They  will  march 
away  at  once,  and  make  for  Mexico.  They  will 
endeavour  to  keep  together,  but  if  there  is  an  alarm 
they  are  to  separate,  and  each  body  is  to  make  the 
best  of  its  way  to  safety.  Do  you  understand  ?  Then 
go  at  once.  I  will  give  you  a  few  minutes  to  give 
the  message,  and  Teotlili  sufficient  time  to  make 
the  arrangements.  Then  I  shall  go  to  my  friends, 
and  commence  to  send  them  up  to  you." 

Tamba  would  have  remonstrated,  and  attempted 
to  dissuade  his  master,  but  Roger  cut  him  short. 

"  You  heard  ? "  he  demanded  peremptorily. 
"  Then  go  at  once.  We  must  not  delay." 

They  crept  along  the  top  of  the  wall  till  they 

277 


Roger  the   Bold 

had  passed  the  spot  where  the  dividing  wall  of  the 
prisons  was  met.  There  Roger  found  that  the  ropes 
had  been  made  fast  from  the  outside,  where  he 
fancied  he  could  see  a  number  of  dark  figures, 
while  a  couple  of  other  ropes  were  attached  to 
wooden  pegs  silently  driven  into  the  top  of  the 
walls,  and  giving  sufficient  hold  to  bear  the  weight 
of  a  man  descending  by  the  rope.  In  fact,  all  was 
in  readiness  for  the  attempt,  and  if  no  alarm  were 
raised  all  would  be  well.  If  the  sentry  discovered 
the  attempted  escape  the  town  would  be  alive  within 
a  short  while,  and  Roger  guessed  that  many  of  his 
countrymen  would  be  taken.  Then  death  would 
follow  swiftly. 

"TeotHli  should  have  made  his  preparations 
now,"  he  said  to  himself,  when  some  three  minutes 
had  passed,  noticing  that  many  dark  figures  were 
flitting  to  and  fro  at  the  base  of  the  wall.  "  And 
here  comes  Tamba.  It  is  time  that  I  was  moving. 
But  I  will  wait  for  Tamba  to  tell  me  where  the 
prisoners  are  sleeping." 

A  minute  later  the  native  was  beside  him, 
breathing  heavily  after  his  rapid  climb. 

"The  hundred  have  gone  to  their  hiding-place/' 
he  said.  "They  have  a  leader,  and  he  has  the 
orders.  The  remainder  are  now  divided  and  ready. 
These  people  are  wonderful  at  obeying  directions, 
and  the  darkness  does  not  confuse  them.  Now, 
master,  I  will  tell  you  where  these  other  prisoners 
are.  They  sleep  round  the  walls  on  mats,  just  as 
you  were  pretending  to  do,  and  some  will  be  directly 
below.  We  hear  that  they  have  already  made  an 
attempt  at  escape,  and  that  they  were  nearly  suc- 
cessful. But  the  Spaniards  raised  an  alarm,  and 

278 


Back  to  Mexico 

they  were  all  taken.  Would  it  not  be  as  well  for  me 
to  descend  ?  " 

He  asked  the  question  simply,  and  waited  eagerly 
for  Roger's  answer,  for  he  had  clambered  back  to 
his  side  with  express  orders  from  Teotlili. 

"  Send  my  lord  down  to  me  if  possible,"  the 
latter  had  said ;  "  then,  if  there  is  an  alarm,  I  can 
hurry  him  away  to  safety.  Do  not  let  him  risk  his 
life  for  these  other  men." 

"  You  will  wait  here,"  answered  our  hero,  shortly. 
"  If  you  went  down  they  would  take  you  for  a  Tlas- 
calan,  and  there  would  be  an  outcry,  perhaps. 
They  will  know  me.  I  speak  English,  you  see. 
Besides,  there  is  Philip,  and  Sir  Thomas  knows  my 
voice.  Now  let  me  get  to  the  rope.  In  a  minute  I 
will  send  the  first  man  up." 

He  grasped  the  rope  firmly,  and  tried  its  strength. 
Then  he  swung  himself  over  the  edge  of  the  wall 
and  slid  to  the  ground  below.  Arrived  in  the  prison, 
he  stood  still  for  some  seconds,  for  the  darkness 
was  very  dense.  Then  gradually  he  was  able  to 
make  out  the  outlines  of  the  place,  and  saw  a  num- 
ber of  dark  figures  lying  round  the  walls.  One  was 
within  a  couple  of  yards  of  him,  and  he  crept  to- 
wards the  man.  Then  he  kneeled  beside  him,  and 
touched  his  arm,  while  he  placed  his  hand  over  his 
mouth.  The  man  sat  up  with  a  start,  and  made 
frantic  efforts  to  get  his  mouth  free.  He  kicked 
desperately,  and  would  have  shouted  out  in  his 
terror  had  not  Roger  suddenly  whispered  in  his  ear — 

"Beware  that  you  do  not  make  a  sound  or  give 
the  alarm,"  he  said  swiftly.  "  I  am  Roger  de  Luce, 
and  I  have  friends  outside.  Silence,  man,  or  I  will 
stun  you!" 

279 


Roger  the  Bold 


His  voice  assumed  a  sterner  tone,  and  he  clung 
to  the  figure,  his  hand  tightly  clasped  about  the 
mouth.  And  it  was  as  well  that  he  had  taken  that 
precaution,  for  this  happened  to  be  Peter  Tamworth, 
the  little  sailor  with  the  enormous  nose,  who  had 
obtained  possession  of  the  disc,  and  his  nerves 
were  none  of  the  best.  Capture  by  the  Spaniards 
and  fear  of  execution  or  of  torture  had  unhinged  his 
courage,  for  the  little  sailor  had  been  a  dashing 
fighter.  However,  this  sudden  awakening  was 
almost  too  much  for  him,  and  had  it  not  been  for 
our  hero's  precaution  he  would  have  destroyed 
every  chance  of  escape. 

"  Silence  !  "  repeated  Roger.  "  Now,  sit  up,  and 
lead  me  to  Sir  Thomas,  and  afterwards  to  Philip. 
Come,  man,  do  not  act  as  if  you  were  dazed.  I  am 
alive,  and  not  a  ghost ;  and  I  have  friends  here  who 
are  come  to  help  us  all.  Sit  up !  Now  lead  the 
way." 

Time  was  of  the  utmost  importance,  and  so 
earnest  was  Roger  that  this  delay  fretted  him. 
Peter  still  peered  at  him  through  the  gloom,  and 
shook  like  a  leaf.  He  made  no  effort  to  rise,  but 
sat  there  on  his  mat,  gaping  and  shivering.  Roger 
took  him  promptly  by  the  shoulders,  and  with  a 
heave  raised  him  to  his  knees. 

"  Crawl  to  Sir  Thomas,"  he  whispered  hoarsely, 
"  and  stop  shaking.  You  are  not  hurt,  man,  and  I 
am  no  spirit.  Come,  do  as  I  bid." 

The  stern  tones  and  Roger's  well-known  voice 
brought  Peter  Tamworth  to  his  senses  at  length, 
and  he  went  along  beside  the  wall  on  hands  and 
knees  till  he  arrived  at  a  figure  some  yards  away. 

"  This  is  he,"  he  said  in  a  whisper.  "  Better 
280 


Back  to  Mexico 

that  I  should  wake  him.  He  thinks  that  you  are 
dead." 

Bending  over  the  leader  of  the  expedition  which 
had  proved  so  disastrous,  Peter  shook  him  gently 
and  spoke  in  his  ear,  with  the  result  that  within  a 
few  seconds  the  commander  of  the  brigantine  was 
kneeling  beside  Roger,  gripping  his  hand  till  the 
bones  almost  cracked. 

"  Something  told  me  that  you  would  come  to  our 
help,  and  that  you  still  lived,"  he  said  hoarsely. 
"  What  is  your  news  ?  Are  we  to  go  now  ?" 

"  At  once,"  was  the  answer.  "  Peter  can  wake 
the  men  while  you  climb.  Go  at  once,  please,  and 
then  there  will  be  no  waiting  for  the  others." 

He  led  the  commander  to  the  dangling  rope,  and 
called  softly  to  Tamba  above.  Then  he  hoisted  Sir 
Thomas  on  his  shoulders,  and  gave  him  such  a 
start  that  he  was  easily  able  to  reach  the  top  of  the 
wall.  By  that  time  Peter  had  roused  some  of  the 
men,  and  they  came  along,  singly  and  in  couples, 
all  on  tiptoe,  and  all  eager  to  get  away  from  the 
Spaniards. 

"Twas  nigh  a  hanging  matter  when  we  made 
the  attempt  some  few  days  ago,"  said  Philip,  as  he 
came  to  Roger's  side  and  spoke  to  him  in  tremulous 
tones  which  told  of  his  joy  at  their  meeting.  "  If 
we  are  taken  now  it  will  be  our  end." 

"Then  you  will  not  be  taken,"  answered  Roger, 
curtly.  "  I  was  ordered  to  be  hanged  at  dawn  to- 
morrow. I  will  fight  till  I  am  killed  rather  than 
submit  to  these  Spaniards.  But  silence !  You 
will  ruin  everything.  Come,  do  not  delay." 

It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  meek  manner  in 
which  all,  from  Sir  Thomas  downward,  obeyed  their 

281 


Roger  the  Bold 


young  comrade.  They  clambered  up  the  rope  in 
silence,  and  dropped  to  the  other  side,  wondering 
what  was  to  happen  next.  And  there  they  waited 
for  the  young  giant  who  had  so  suddenly  and  unex- 
pectedly come  to  their  aid. 

"  What  next  ?  "  demanded  Sir  Thomas,  when  at 
length  all  had  left  the  prison,  and  he  had  counted 
their  numbers  to  make  sure  that  none  remained 
behind.  "  Now,  Sir  Giant,  you  are  our  commander, 
and  we  look  to  you  for  orders.  What  are  they  ?  " 

"  Divide  into  four  parties  at  once,"  said  Roger, 
peremptorily.  "  Let  Peter  and  Philip  take  one 
group  each,  while  you  take  a  third,  Sir  Thomas.  I 
will  lead  the  other.  Now,  you  will  be  joined  by 
natives,  and  they  will  lead  you.  If  there  is  trouble, 
you  are  each  to  go  with  your  own  lot  of  natives,  for 
we  could  never  pass  across  the  country  together. 
Now,  hurry,  please,  and  silence !  " 

There  was  need  for  his  warning,  for  the  men  had 
commenced  to  chatter  together,  some  wishing  to  go 
with  particular  friends.  However,  at  Roger's  Voice 
they  separated,  and  silently  grouped  themselves. 
Then  Teotlili  gave  vent  to  a  curious  hissing  sound 
between  his  tongue  and  his  teeth,  and  natives  filed 
about  the  groups. 

"We  will  lead,  my  lord,"  he  said,  coming  to 
Roger's  side.  "The  others  will  go  to  either  side 
once  we  are  out  of  the  town.  Now,  let  Us  be 
moving." 

"  Hark!  I  heard  something!"  whispered  Roger, 
suddenly.  "  Listen  now !  Men  are  moving,  and 
that  was  a  weapon  being  loaded  !  " 

The  metallic  ring  of  a  ramrod  crushing  a  charge 
into  a  barrel  came  to  their  ears,  but  exactly  from 

282 


Back  to  Mexico 

what  quarter  was  not  certain.  It  was  followed  by 
a  similar  sound,  and  was  repeated  on  several 
occasions. 

"  Let  the  men  move.  Tell  them  to  separate,  and 
run  as  soon  as  possible,"  whispered  Roger.  "  The 
Spaniards  must  have  got  news  of  the  attempt.  Ah  ! 
there  goes  their  signal !  " 

Suddenly  the  silence  of  the  night  was  broken  by 
the  roar  of  an  arquebus,  while  from  some  point  high 
up  amongst  the  houses  came  the  flash  of  the  pon- 
derous weapon,  lighting  up  the  walls  of  Tlascala 
and  the  natives  and  Englishmen  grouped  at  their 
base.  The  next  instant  all  was  pitch  dark  again,  but 
there  was  no  longer  silence.  A  roar  of  angry  voices 
filled  the  air,  and  a  loud  command  was  given  in 
Spanish.  It  was  followed  by  a  sharp  fusillade, 
which  caused  Roger  and  his  friends  to  scatter,  and 
struck  some  of  them  to  the  ground.  A  moment 
later  a  shout  at  the  far  end  of  the  town  told  that  the 
hundred  men  sent  there  were  obeying  instructions. 

"  Time  to  go,"  said  Roger  to  Teotlili.  "  Separate, 
and  do  as  I  have  said/'  he  shouted  out  at  the  top  of 
his  voice.  "  Whatever  you  do,  separate." 

Some  one  took  him  by  the  arm,  and  he  hurried 
off  into  the  darkness.  But  he  was  by  no  means 
alone,  for  Teotlili  was  on  one  side  and  Tamba  close 
on  the  other,  while  a  strong  body  of  men  followed 
closely. 

"  Trust  yourself  to  us,"  said  Teotlili.  "  We  know 
the  ground  well,  and  are  accustomed  to  moving  in 
the  dark.  Now,  let  us  run,  my  lord,  for  in  a  little 
while  the  enemy  will  discover  the  ruse,  and  will 
come  after  us." 

They  set  off  at  a  run,  but  had  gone  only  a  little 

283 


Roger  the  Bold 


way  before  shouts  in  front  told  that  the  enemy  were 
there  also. 

"This  way,  my  lord,"  whispered  Teotlili.  "  Now, 
come  at  your  swiftest  pace.  Ah,  our  friends  are 
doing  their  work  well,  and  will  give  us  a  little  time, 
perhaps.  We  must  make  the  most  of  their  help." 

By  now  the  town  of  Tlascala  and  its  surround- 
ings was  in  an  uproar,  the  first  shot  from  the 
arquebus  having  been  followed  by  a  fusillade,  and 
afterwards  by  dropping  shots  which  were  aimed 
haphazard  into  the  crowd.  Then  shouts  resounded 
from  every  side,  Spanish  and  English  and  the  Aztec 
tongues  being  mixed.  Indeed,  the  combatants  were 
all  close  together,  hardly  knowing  where  were 
friends  or  foes.  But  thanks  to  the  care  which  Teot- 
lili and  his  men  had  taken  to  get  their  bearings,  the 
parties  were  able  to  make  off  in  the  darkness,  and 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  meetings  with  the  enemy, 
who  were  easily  brushed  aside,  contrived  to  get 
away  from  the  town. 

"  The  horse  ! "  said  Teotlili,  when  he  and  Roger, 
with  Tamba  close  behind,  and  their  escort  of  natives 
had  gone  some  little  way  ;  "  I  heard  their  trumpet- 
call,  and  there  is  the  neigh  of  the  animals.  If  they 
follow  we  shall  be  overtaken,  for  these  strange 
animals  travel  quickly." 

"  On  smooth  ground,"  gasped  Roger.  "  But  we 
will  lead  on  to  rough  ground  if  they  come  in  our 
direction.  Is  there  not  a  wood  somewhere  near?  " 

"  There  is  a  big  one  a  mile  from  this,"  was  the 
answer.  "  We  shall  be  there  in  a  little  while." 

"  Then  let  us  go  at  our  fastest  pace,"  cried  Roger. 
"  Once  within  the  wood  we  can  defy  them." 

After  that  there  was  silence,  the  men  running  as 

284 


Back  to  Mexico 

swiftly  as  possible.  Indeed,  they  could  have  gone 
even  faster  had  it  not  been  for  the  white  friend 
whom  they  escorted.  For  though  Roger's  recent 
experiences  had  sharpened  his  powers  of  perception, 
he  was  no  match  for  these  Aztecs,  who  seemed  to 
be  able  to  find  their  way  about  as  well  by  night  as 
during  the  day.  They  avoided  obstacles  over  which 
our  hero  would  have  stumbled,  and  many  a  time  did 
Teotlili  and  Tamba,  with  a  word  or  a  touch  on  the 
arm,  draw  him  to  one  side  in  time  to  escape  a  fall. 

"  My  lord  is  different,"  whispered  Tamba,  as  if 
to  excuse  his  interference.  "We,  who  are  forest 
bred,  or  used  to  travel  at  night,  see  where  he  cannot 
see.  Press  on,  and  we  will  look  to  your  safety.  I 
hear  the  horsemen." 

There  was  no  doubt  that  the  Spanish  horsemen 
had  saddled  and  galloped  after  the  group  which 
included  their  last  prisoner,  he  who  was  to  be 
hanged  on  the  following  morning,  and  probably 
their  allies  had  been  able  to  put  them  on  that  track. 
They  came  at  a  quick  trot  now,  and  Roger  could 
distinctly  hear  the  jingle  of  their  accoutrements,  and 
the  stamping  of  the  horses'  feet,  for  the  cavalry 
wisely  kept  to  the  road.  Soon,  however,  they  were 
forced  to  move  from  it,  for  the  line  of  flight  taken 
by  Teotlili  and  his  men  led  across  country.  A  little 
later  he  turned  to  Roger  with  a  cry  of  relief. 

"  The  wood,"  he  said.  "  It  extends  for  some 
miles,  and  then  opens  into  a  bare  country.  Shall 
we  make  through  it  in  the  direction  of  Mexico  ?  " 

"And  be  caught  at  the  other  end,"  answered 
Roger,  gasping  for  breath  after  the  long  run.  "  Let 
us  reach  its  shelter  first,  and  then  we  can  decide." 

A  few  minutes  later  the  trees  shadowed  them,  and 

285 


Roger  the  Bold 

they  crept  amongst  the  trunks,  the  noble  leading 
the  way  till  the  whole  band  had  disappeared  into 
the  forest.  Then  he  halted,  the  same  curious  sound 
came  from  his  lips,  and  the  party  came  to  a  stop, 
all  throwing  themselves  on  the  ground. 

"  We  are  safe  for  a  time,"  he  said,  coming  to 
Roger's  side,  where  the  latter  had  thrown  himself 
on  the  grass.  "  This  wood  extends  some  miles  in 
the  direction  of  Mexico,  as  I  have  already  said,  and 
if  we  push  on  we  shall  reach  the  farthest  fringe 
before  the  dawn  comes.  Shall  we  do  that,  or  have 
you  better  counsel  to  give  ?  " 

Roger  thought  for  a  little  while  before  he 
ventured  to  answer. 

"The  wood  extends  some  miles,"  he  said  at 
length.  "  Then  the  horsemen  could  not  surround 
the  whole  ?  " 

"  But  the  footmen  could.  They  have  allies 
sufficient  to  cover  every  foot  of  the  ground,  my 
lord." 

"  At  Tlascala  they  have,"  answered  Roger, 
coolly,  while  he  still  gasped  for  breath.  "  They  have 
the  allies  there  in  abundance,  we  all  know.  But 
the  horsemen  will  arrive  alone,  and  it  will  be  long 
before  the  footmen  follow.  Will  they  not  rather 
chase  the  other  parties,  leaving  us  to  the  Spanish 
horse  ?  " 

The  question  was  an  important  one,  and  Teotlili 
was  quick  to  decide  it. 

"  I  cannot  say  for  certain,"  he  said ;  "  but  it  is 
more  than  likely  that  the  horsemen  alone  are  in 
chase.  Give  me  a  little  while,  and  I  can  speak  with 
full  knowledge." 

He  rose  to  his  feet  and  strode  across  to  the  men, 

286 


Back  to  Mexico 

all  of  whom  were  seated  listening,  and  none  showing 
much  sign  of  distress,  for  these  Aztecs  were  always 
in  wonderful  condition.  Then  he  gave  an  order, 
and  a  dozen  of  the  natives  rose  and  disappeared 
from  view. 

"  They  will  be  back  before  long,"  said  Teotlili, 
"and  they  will  be  able  to  say  for  certain  if  the 
horsemen  are  alone.  If  they  are,  what  do  you 
propose?" 

That  too  was  a  difficult  question  to  answer,  and 
for  a  little  longer  Roger  lay  on  the  grass,  his  head 
buried  in  his  hands.  Suddenly  he  turned  to 
Teotlili. 

"  Have  the  men  the  courage  to  attack  the  horse- 
men ? "  he  asked.  "  You  are  sure  of  that  ? "  he 
went  on,  as  Teotlili  gave  him  an  emphatic  reply. 
"  Then  I  have  a  little  plan.  These  horsemen  will 
be  here  within  a  little  while,  and  much  will  depend 
on  their  captain's  discretion.  But  if  he  hears  us  in 
the  wood  it  is  likely  that  he  will  dismount  his  men 
and  send  them  in,  leaving  a  small  escort  to  guard 
the  horses.  Then  this  is  the  way  in  which  we  will 
act.  When  we  hear  the  horses  we  will  creep 
towards  them,  and  then  will  induce  the  men  to 
enter  by  breaking  branches,  and  making  so  much 
noise  as  to  lead  them  to  think  that  we  are  forcing 
our  way  through  the  forest.  If  we  hear  the  order 
given  to  dismount,  we  will  creep  to  the  very  edge  of 
the  wood,  while  a  dozen  of  our  men  will  go  on  as 
before,  luring  the  Spaniards  in.  Once  they  have 
gone  some  hundred  paces  we  will  attack  the  escort, 
kill  them  and  scatter  the  horses,  Then,  don't  you 
see,  these  horsemen  will  be  no  better  than  our- 
selves." 

287 


Roger  the  Bold 


"They  will  be  dismounted,  and  they  will  be  in 
the  forest,  where  we  could  kill  every  man  easily," 
said  Teotlili,  with  an  exclamation  of  delight.  "  But 
we  have  no  time  for  that.  We  must  lure  them  in, 
and  then  escape.  I  will  give  the  necessary  instruc- 
tions, and  we  will  be  ready  to  make  for  the  edge  of 
the  wood  as  soon  as  we  hear  the  enemy." 

A  little  later  the  dull  tramp  of  horses  was  heard, 
and  one  of  the  scouts  came  back  with  the  information 
that  the  cavalry  were  close  at  hand,  picking  their 
way  carefully  over  the  rough  ground.  A  few 
seconds  later  another  came  to  Teotlili  with  the 
report  that  the  horsemen  were  entirely  alone,  and 
that  none  of  the  native  allies  could  be  seen  or 
heard. 

"Then  we  can  move,"  said  the  noble.  "The 
horsemen  are  coming  towards  us  from  this  side, 
and  if  we  creep  to  the  edge  of  the  wood  we  shall 
be  near  enough  to  make  an  attack.  Come,  my  lord, 
I  will  lead  you  as  before." 

"And  I  will  give  the  signal  for  the  attack  and 
will  head  the  men,"  whispered  Roger.  "  Let  them 
shout  at  my  signal  and  rush  out.  There  must  be 
no  delay.  Warn  them  not  to  be  frightened  of  the 
horses;  they  are  nervous  beasts  which  can  be  easily 
managed." 

All  was  now  silence  in  the  forest,  and  as  they 
crept  to  the  edge,  the  edge  by  which  they  had  come, 
voices  in  the  distance  could  be  heard,  and  of  a 
sudden  there  was  a  loud  command. 

"  These  Mexicans  seem  to  have  sunk  out  of  sight, 
doubtless  in  the  forest.  Halt !  Now  listen ! " 

"  Stop ! "  called  out  Roger,  softly,  and  at  his  voice 
all  came  to  a  halt.  "Now,  if  only  our  men  will 

288 


;THE   REMAINDER   WERE  QUICKLY   IN    FULL   FLIGHT" 


Back  to  Mexico 

begin  to  make  as  much  commotion  as  possible,  our 
plan  may  act." 

"They  will  begin  within  a  minute,"  whispered 
Teotlili.  "  I  will  send  a  man  back  to  them." 

It  was  wonderful  the  manner  in  which  these 
Aztecs  obeyed  his  orders.  All,  in  fact,  seemed  to 
possess  unusual  intelligence,  and  it  wanted  only  a 
few  words  of  explanation  to  send  them  on  some 
special  mission.  And  so  Teotlili  had  hardly  spoken 
before  a  man  was  running  swiftly  back  to  the  twelve 
comrades  who  had  been  left  farther  in.  Then  came 
the  crash  of  breaking  branches,  and  the  noise  which 
would  be  made  by  a  band  of  men  escaping  blindly 
through  a  wood  at  night,  escaping  at  such  a  pace, 
and  so  fearfully,  that  they  did  not  look  where  they 
went,  and  took  no  precaution  to  avoid  noise. 

"  Ha !  the  dogs  make  sounds  which  are  as  easy 
to  follow  as  a  bell!"  exclaimed  the  same  Spanish 
voice.  "  We  will  after  them.  Dismount.  Now,  let 
a  dozen  mount  guard  over  the  horses.  The  remainder 
follow  me  into  the  forest" 

Again  there  was  the  jingle  of  spur  and  lance,  the 
clatter  of  men's  boots  on  rocky  ground.  Horses 
neighed,  and  many  kicked,  so  that  other  sounds 
were  almost  drowned.  Not  those,  however,  from 
the  depths  of  the  forest.  The  crash  of  branches 
could  still  be  heard,  though  dying  away  gradually. 

"  They  are  increasing  their  distance.  Will  you 
men  take  hours  to  dismount?  Come,  hasten,  and 
let  us  get  after  them,"  shouted  the  eager  commander 
of  the  Spaniards.  "Now,  all  follow  me,  and  we 
will  take  this  Englishman,  and  kill  those  who  have 
helped  in  his  escape." 

There  was  a  babel  of  shouts.     Men  bellowed  at 

(B  566)  289  T 


Roger  the  Bold 


one  another  as  they  swung  themselves  from  their 
saddles.  Then,  showing  considerable  confusion  in 
the  darkness,  the  Spaniards  managed  to  select  a 
guard  for  their  horses,  while  the  greater  number 
followed  their  commander  towards  the  forest.  When 
they  had  arrived  at  the  edge,  they  halted  to  let 
stragglers  Come  up  with  them,  and  then  dived  into 
the  dense  shadow  of  the  trees,  passing  within  a  few 
feet  of  the  spot  Where  Roger  and  his  friends  lay. 
But  the  Spaniards  never  suspected  their  presence 
there.  Their  attention  was  wholly  occupied  by  the 
shouts  ahead,  and  by  the  noise  of  men  forcing  a  way 
through  the  underwood.  They  plunged  on  reck- 
lessly, and  soon  became  separated,  shouting  loudly 
to  one  another  so  as  to  keep  in  touch.  The  moment 
had  corrie  for  action.  The  Aztecs,  who  were  help- 
less against  horsemen  in  the  open,  and,  indeed, 
feared  even  a  handful,  could  easily  outstrip  any 
Spaniard  if  he  were  dismounted,  and  they  hoW 
prepared  to  carry  out  the  bold  attempt  planned  by 
Roger.  They  crept  from  the  Shadows  till  the 
stamping  of  the  horses  told  that  they  were  near  at 
hand.  Then  Roger  rose  to  his  full  height,  and  drew 
his  sword  from  his  belt. 

"  Charge ! "  he  shouted.  "  Cut  them  down,  and 
then  collect  again.  Follow  me ! " 

He  ran  forward  towards  the  spot  where  the 
horses  were  stationed,  and  threw  himself  Upon  the 
Spaniards,  a  dozen  of  whom  were  gathered  there. 
An  arquebus  flashed  in  his  face,  and  the  contents 
roared  past  his  ear,  but  he  never  paused  till  he  had 
come  to  close  quarters. 

"Throw  down  your  arms  and  surrender!*'  he 
shouted.  Then,  seeing  that  the  Spaniards  meant  to 

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Back  to  Mexico 

fight,  he  parried  a  blow  aimed  at  him,  and,  raising 
his  sword,  struck  the  Spaniard  over  the  head  with 
such  force  that  the  man  fell  to  the  ground  like  a  log. 
Then  he  engaged  another,  and  was  gradually  driving 
him  backward,  when  a  dark  figure  leapt  on  the  man 
from  behind  and  dragged  him  to  the  earth.  A 
moment  later  Tamba  rose  to  his  feet,  dagger  in 
hand,  while  the  scuffling  which  had  been  going  on 
all  round  suddenly  ceased. 

"That  is  the  last,  master,"  he  said.  "Listen  to 
the  men  in  the  forest" 

"  Time  to  be  moving  away,1'  said  Roger,  calmty. 
"  Collect  the  men.  Where  is  Teotlili  ?  " 

"Here,"  came  the  answer  from  close  at  hand. 
"  I  had  to  fight  fiercely.  I  thought  the  man  was 
dead,  but  he  struggled  for  long,  and  held  me.  He 
is  silent  now.  What  are  my  lord's  orders  ?  " 

"  Listen  to  the  Spaniards,"  said  Roger.  "  They 
have  heard  the  sound  of  the  conflict,  and  are  return- 
ing. We  must  be  going.  Collect  here,  and  then 
cut  the  reins  of  the  horses.  Better  still,  give  me  a 
dagger,  Tamba,  and  I  will  perform  the  task,  for  I 
am  used  to  the  animals.  I  will  return  in  a  few 
moments." 

He  went  off  to  the  horses,  and  passing  fearlessly 
amongst  them,  had  soon  cut  through  the  bridles  of 
every  one.  In  addition,  he  slit  the  leather  of  the 
stirrups,  letting  the  irons  drop  to  the  ground. 

"  That  is  done,"  he  said,  when  he  had  returned. 
"  Now,  let  all  shout  and  wave  their  arms." 

At  once  a  chorus  of  screams  and  shrill  whistles 
sounded,  while  the  men  ran  forward  to  the  horses, 
waving  their  weapons  over  their  heads.  Roger 
took  up  a  few  stones  and  hurled  them  at  the  animals, 

291 


Roger  the  Bold 


and  these,  with  the  strange  sounds,  and  the  numbers 
of  figures  moving  in  the  darkness,  so  startled  the 
Spaniards'  horses  that  they  commenced  to  move. 
One,  the  mount  which  had  been  ridden  by  the  com- 
mander, reared  up  into  the  air,  and  gave  vent  to  a 
loud  squeal  of  terror.  Then  he  lashed  out  his  heels 
and  bolted.  The  remainder  were  quickly  in  full 
flight,  followed  by  the  shouts  of  the  Mexicans  and 
by  a  shower  of  stones. 

"  Now  we  will  go,"  said  Roger,  in  tones  of  satis- 
faction, "  and  I  place  myself  in  your  hands  again, 
Teotlili.  You  know  the  way  ;  lead  me  to  Mexico." 

"  One  moment,  my  lord,"  was  the  answer  ;  "  I 
will  call  the  other  men." 

The  Mexican  lord  put  his  fingers  to  his  lips  and 
sent  a  shrill  whistle  across  the  forest  trees.  It  was 
answered  from  the  far  distance  almost  at  once. 

"  They  have  done  well,"  he  said.  "  I  gave  them 
orders  to  lead  on  into  the  forest  till  the  Spaniards 
were  after  them.  Then  they  were  to  cut  to  the 
right,  to  get  close  to  the  edge  of  the  trees.  They 
were  then  to  await  my  whistle,  and  after  that  to  cut 
out  to  us.  We  can  go  now,  my  lord,  and  I  think 
that  we  should  meet  with  little  more  trouble."  | 

He  made  his  signal  again,  and  at  once  the  whole 
party  set  off  at  a  quick  run — a  pace  which  any  one 
of  the  Mexicans  could  keep  up  for  hours  together. 
For  they  were  trained  to  this  exercise,  and  made 
exceedingly  mobile  foot  soldiers.  As  the  party  left 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  forest,  they  were  followed 
by  the  angry  shouts  and  by  the  fire  of  the  Spaniards. 
But  they  took  no  notice  of  either,  and  after  a  little 
while  left  them  behind. 

"  We  can  go  at  an  easier  pace  now,"  said  Teotlili. 
292 


Back  to  Mexico 

"  My  lord  is  not  used  to  running  far,  and  the  exer- 
cise exhausts  him.  I  will  give  the  order." 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  as  the  light 
became  sufficiently  strong  for  them  to  see,  they 
caught  sight  of  Mexico  in  the  distance,  and  at  once 
relaxed  their  pace.  They  had  been  running  and 
walking  fast  alternately  for  a  long  while,  and  Roger 
was  completely  done  up.  The  wound  which  Alvarez 
had  given  him  made  running  difficult,  and  he  was 
glad  therefore  when  the  time  came  when  they  could 
take  matters  easily. 

"  We  are  safe  now,"  said  Teotlili.  "  We  will 
obtain  a  palanquin  at  the  first  village,  and  have  you 
carried  in." 

Roger  accepted  the  proposal  with  alacrity,  and 
a  palanquin  being  forthcoming,  he  was  borne  into 
the  city  of  Mexico  in  state.  Rumours  of  his  capture 
and  of  his  escape  had  preceded  him,  and  the  populace 
turned  out  in  force  to  welcome  their  god  of  air. 

"  We  greet  you  with  joy,"  said  the  king,  shaking 
his  hand  eagerly  as  he  emerged  from  the  palanquin. 
"  It  was  a  sad  day  when  we  heard  that  you  were 
taken,  particularly  as  we  hear  that  the  enemy  march 
for  Mexico  within  a  few  hours.  Rest  now,  and 
later  we  will  parade  all  the  crossbow  men  and  the 
men  with  lances,  for  there  will  be  much  to  do  to 
prepare  for  the  attack." 

Two  days  later  the  outlying  pickets  of  the  Mexi- 
cans came  into  contact  with  the  Spaniards  and  their 
allies,  and  the  first  skirmish  took  place — a  skirmish 
which  was  merely  the  prelude  to  a  long  course  of 
bitter  fighting  in  and  around  the  city  of  Mexico. 


293 


CHAPTER  XVI 
The  First  Encounter 

OGER  was  back  in  Mexico — the  city  upon  the 
I\  water  where  he  had  once  been  taken  as  a 
captive,  and  where  he  was  now  received  with  the 
welcome  of  its  many  thousands,  and  with  the  grate- 
ful friendship  of  its  nobles  anc>  king;  and  with 
him  now  he  had  his  own  countrymen,  for  of  the 
thirty-four  who  had  been  rescued  from  the  prison 
at  Tlascala,  twenty-six  had  survived,  Sir  Thomas 
being  amongst  the  unfortunate  ones  who  had  been 
killed  by  the  fire  of  the  Spaniards. 

"We  owe  our  lives  to  you,  undoubtedly,"  said 
Philip,  a  couple  of  days  later,  when  the  two  stood 
on  one  of  the  tall  towers  looking  down  on  the  city ; 
'(for  had  you  not  decided  to  stay  in  your  prison 
unless  we  also  were  rescued,  these  Mexicans  would 
never  have  made  the  attempt.  That  we  have  learrjed 
already,  for  Tamba  speaks  a  few  words  of  English, 
and  1  can  manage  to  understand  a  little  of  the  Aztec 
language.  We  have  been  talking  matters  over — I 
and  Peter  Tamworth  and  the  others.  All  our  leaders 
are  gone,  and  the  few  gentlemen  adventurers  left  do 
not  care  to  lead,  nor  would  we  have  them  if  they 
did  We  wish  you  to  take  the  command  of  our 
party,  and  to  make  the  best  arrangements  to  get  us 


The  First  Encounter 

back  to  England.  For  the  present  we  are  pledged 
to  carry  out  your  wishes." 

"  And  I  am  pledged  to  defend  this  city,"  said 
Roger,  with  emphasis,  while  he  flushed  with  pride 
at  the  honour  which  his  old  Comrades  were  doing 
him. 

"  I  will  take  this  post  which  you  offer — for 
the  present,  at  any  rate;  for,  you  see,  here  in 
Mexico '" 

"  They  speak  of  you  as  the  god  of  air,  we  hear," 
smiled  Philip.  "  I  am  not  surprised,  for  you  are  so 
tall  and  so  big,  and  then  you  can  fight.  I  have  also 
learned  of  the  ruse  played  on  the  Spanish  horsemen. 
It  was  cleverly  thought  of.  I  do  not  wonder  that 
you  are  the  Mexicans'  leader,  and  it  would  be  impos- 
sible for  any  of  our  party  to  oust  you.  The  Mexi- 
cans Would  kill  them  promptly.  Tell  me  how  you 
gained  their  liking." 

"Gladly,"  answered  Roger.  "And  do  you  let 
me  know  how  the  brigantine  was  captured,  and  how 
she  fared  after  I  was  left.  And  that  brings  me  to 
the  tale  of  the  disc.  That  Spaniard,  Alvarez,  turned 
out  a  rogue.  He  nearly  killed  me,  and  he  has  the 
golden  treasure  now,  I  believe.  I  looked  for  him  in 
Tlascala,  but  did  not  see  him." 

"  And  I  caught  sight  of  him  once  orily,"  answered 
Philip.  ""He  kept  away  from  us,  and  I  am  told 
went  off  to  some  other  city  on  the  commandant's 
service." 

"We  shall  meet  him  again,  never  fear,"  said 
Roger,  after  a  little  while.  "  But  listen  to  my  tale, 
Philip,  and  you  will  see  that  our  expedition  is  not 
yet  hopelessly  ruined.  If  we  can  defend  Mexico 
successfully,  and  can  capture  this  Alvarez  and  the 

ttfe 


Roger  the  Bold 


disc,  we  shall  return  to  England  with  riches  suffi- 
cient to  gratify  every  one." 

They  sat  down  on  the  edge  of  the  tower  and  dis- 
cussed the  matter  for  a  long  while,  our  hero  telling 
of  the  promise  made  by  the  Mexicans  that  he  should 
be  rewarded  for  his  services,  and  should  carry  away 
as  much  as  he  desired.  Then  he  listened  while 
Philip  told  of  the  adventures  of  the  men  who  re- 
mained aboard  the  brigantine,  and  of  how  they  were 
captured. 

"  And  now  we  come  to  the  time  when  you  are 
our  leader,  and  we  are  to  face  these  Spaniards  again," 
said  Philip.  "  Tell  us  what  we  are  to  do,  for  you 
have  twenty-six  men,  all  of  whom  can  act  as  officers." 

"  Then  let  us  seek  out  Peter  Tamworth,  and  ask 
his  advice,"  answered  Roger,  thoughtfully.  "  He  is 
a  mariner  of  long  experience,  and  he  will  be  able  to 
tell  us  how  to  meet  these  brigantines,  or  perhaps 
even  how  to  make  one  for  service  on  the  lake." 

They  descended  from  the  tower,  and  in  due 
course  came  upon  Peter,  looking  wonderfully  grand 
in  his  feathered  cloak  and  native  dress,  for  all  had 
been  reclothed,  their  own  dress  being  torn  to 
ribbons. 

"  'Tis  out  of  the  question,  this  thought  of  build- 
ing a  brigantine  for  use  on  the  lake,"  he  answered 
promptly.  "  You  say  that  there  is  news  that  Cortes 
is  now  on  his  way  here,  and  that  fighting  has  com- 
menced. A  brigantine  would  take  months  to  build, 
while  something  smaller  would  take  almost  as  long. 
But  we  could  contrive  something  with  rafts  of  light 
material.  Or  better,  my  commandant,  make  stout 
boats  by  lashing  some  four  or  five  of  these  canoes 
together.  They  do  not  use  sails,  but  there  is  enough 

296 


The  First  Encounter 

cotton  here  to  make  them ;  and  a  boat  such  as  I 
describe  should  cut  fast  through  the  water,  and  stand 
a  chance  if  it  came  to  warfare.  But  the  brigantines 
would  knock  her  to  pieces  if  she  got  in  their  way. 
That  is  where  their  advantage  will  be  felt.  None 
of  these  canoes  will  be  able  to  stand  against 
them." 

"  Then  we  will  do  what  we  can,  and  you  shall 
take  command  on  the  water,"  said  Roger.  "  We 
will  go  to  Teotlili  and  the  king  and  make  our 
arrangements.  Then  I  will  appoint  one  each  of  our 
men  to  the  bands  of  crossbow  and  lance-bearing 
soldiers,  and  let  them  carry  on  the  training.  There 
will  be  ample  weapons,  for  all  the  artificers  in  the 
city  have  been  at  work." 

By  dint  of  strenuous  labour  Roger  and  his 
friends,  with  the  able  and  cordial  assistance  of  the 
king  and  Teotlili,  managed  to  get  together  quite 
a  respectable  number  of  the  Mexicans,  and  during 
the  two  days  which  they  had  free  to  themselves, 
and  the  few  which  followed  during  which  Cortes 
and  his  allies  marched  down  to  the  lake  and  visited 
Tezcuco,  were  able  to  appoint  each  one  of  the 
English  men-at-  arms  or  adventurers  to  the  band. 
Then  those  who  had  already  been  trained  in  the 
use  of  the  new  weapons  were  divided  up,  and  set 
to  work  to  instruct  their  comrades.  Meanwhile, 
Peter  Tamworth  had  taken  the  matter  of  the  boats 
in  hand,  and  ere  a  day  had  passed  had  constructed 
some  twenty  broad  canoes,  lashing  four  of  the 
native  vessels  side  by  side.  Sails  were  a  matter 
of  greater  difficulty,  and  it  took  time  to  teach  the 
Mexicans  to  use  them,  for  hitherto  they  had  used 
the  paddle  alone.  However,  at  the  end  of  a  week 

297 


Roger  the  Bold 


they  were  fairly  proficient,  and  when  at  length  the 
enemy  did  cortlfe  in  touch,  had  some  confidence  in 
themselves.  It  was  an  eventful  day  when  Cortes 
marched  down  to  Mexico,  and  took  Up  his  position, 
and  a  still  more  exciting  moment  when  his  men 
advanced  to  attack  the  forts  which  had  been  erected 
at  the  opening  of  the  aqueducts. 

"  Let  the  men  lie  down  behind  the  walls,"  said 
Roger,  who  was  in  command.  "  They  are  to  take 
no  hotice  of  the  cannon,  and  are  to  stay  quiet  till  I 
give  the  order  to  rise.  Even  then  those  with  the 
lance  will  remain  where  they  are,  for  it  is  my  object 
to  lure  these  Spaniards  on  till  they  are  at  close 
quarters." 

He  took  up  a  commanding  post  in  the  centre  of 
one  of  the  long  walls  which  had  been  constructed, 
and  watched  the  enemy  closely.  There  were  some 
three  hundred  Spaniards,  and  many  thousands  of 
their  allies,  and  they  advanced  across  the  open 
directly  against  the  Wall,  dragging  their  guns  with 
them.  Arrived  within  two  hundred  yards  they 
halted,  and  after  a  little  While  the  guns  opened  fire, 
the  shot  screeching  over  the  wall,  and  falling  into 
the  lake  behind.  At  the  sound  several  Mexicans 
rose,  and  would  have  retired. 

"  Tell  them  that  they  will  be  instantly  executed 
if  they  show  fear,"  called  out  Roger  to  Teotlili,  Who 
was  a  few  paces  away.  "  How  can  cannon  balls 
hurt  when  we  have  a  thick  wall  to  defend  us  ?  Bid 
them  carry  Out  my  order." 

The  Mexican  noble  turned  and  repeated  the 
words  in  stern  tones. 

"  We  will  set  an  example  to  any  who  may  show 
fear."  he  said.  "  Consider  that  you  are  fighting  for 

298 


The  First  Encounter 

home  and  children.  Let  no  one  say  that  we  were 
afraid  of  a  noise." 

The  words  seemed  to  hearten  the  men,  and 
though  the  guns  continued  firing  for  some  little 
while,  no  one  moved,  no  one  was  hit,  and  only  a 
few  bricks  were  dashed  from  the  wall  It  was  plain 
that  there  was  nothing  to  be  done  in  this  manner, 
and  the  Spanish  commander  gave  an  order. 

"  We  will  advance  against  them,"  he  said,  in 
scornful  tones.  "  They  will  run  when  they  see  our 
swords.  Let  the  men  with  sword  and  buckler 
march  on  the  right,  and  those  with  lances  on  the 
left.  The  men  with  the  crossbows  can  be  on  either 
flank." 

They  formed  at  once,  and  came  forward  at  a 
smart  pace,  looking  so  numerous,  with  thousands 
of  the  native  allies  swarming  about  them,  that  the 
Mexicans  again  showed  signs  of  losing  heart.  But 
Roger  soon  reassured  them.  He  leaped  on  to 
the  wall,  where  all  could  see  him,  and  called  to 
Teotlili— 

"  Let  the  crossbow-men  prepare  their  weapons 
and  creep  up  to  the  back  of  the  wall,"  he  said ; 
"and  shout  to  those  stationed  in  the  canoes  to 
come  close  to  the  shore.  When  I  call  out,  they 
are  to  fire  into  the  enemy.  The  men  with  the  lances 
are  to  form  up  at  either  end  of  the  wall,  and  are  to 
be  ready  to  rush  out  on  the  Spaniards  and  their 
allies.  Let  all  follow  my  shout  with  another." 

The  order  was  promptly  repeated,  and  Roger, 
looking  down  from  his  high  perch,  saw  that  all  was 
in  readiness.  The  faces  of  the  Mexicans  now  showed 
eagerness  and  determination ;  for  the  sight  of  their 
leader  standing  there  with  the  Spanish  shafts  flying 

299 


Roger  the  Bold 

past  him,  gave  them  courage.  A  little  while  ago 
they  had  found  it  hard  to  stand  up  to  the  Spaniards, 
but  now  they  had  learned  something.  They  had 
seen  this  youth  defy  them  and  hoodwink  their 
horsemen,  and  they  argued  that  if  he  could  do  that, 
then  they  also  might  hope  for  success.  Therefore 
the  men  silently  crept  to  the  back  of  the  wall,  while 
the  lancers,  each  with  one  of  the  English  to  com- 
mand them,  stole  softly  to  either  end,  and  waited 
the  moment  for  battle.  It  came  sooner  than  they 
expected. 

"Take  them  with  a  rush  !"  shouted  the  Spanish 
leader.  "  Now,  charge  down  on  them  ! " 

He  and  his  men  gave  vent  to  a  chorus  of  shouts, 
which  was  followed  by  those  of  the  natives,  and  by 
their  curious  shrill  whistles.  Then  the  whole  mass 
dashed  forward  impetuously,  aiming  for  the  wall 
which  had  been  erected  across  the  approach  to  the 
aqueduct. 

"  Ready !  "  shouted  Roger,  and  at  the  signal,  some 
thousand  voices  took  up  the  shout,  while  the  top  of 
the  wall  was  lined  with  the  heads  and  shoulders  of 
the  crossbow-men.  Then  numbers  of  canoes  dashed 
from  under  the  aqueduct,  and  ferrying  in  close  to 
the  shore,  came  to  a  stop.  At  once  a  cloud  of  shafts 
sang  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy,  and  some  score 
of  their  numbers  fell  to  the  ground.  But  it  did  not 
even  cause  the  Spaniards  to  hesitate,  though  many 
of  the  allies  came  to  a  sudden  halt.  They  re- 
peated their  shout,  and  dashed  forward  at  an  even 
greater  pace,  their  swords  above  their  heads,  and 
their  bucklers  ready  before  them  to  keep  off  the 
shafts.  The  lancemen  on  the  left,  however,  had 
little  protection,  and  a  nod  from  Roger  caused 

300 


The  First  Encounter 

Teotlili  to  direct  the  aim  of  the  majority  against 
them.  i 

"  Get  the  men  with  the  lance  ready,"  called  out 
Roger,  "and  bid  them  dash  against  the  Spaniards 
with  the  same  weapon  while  they  are  confused 
with  the  loss  caused  by  the  crossbow-men.  And, 
Philip ! " 

The  young  fellow  who  had  been  such  a  friend 
of  his  aboard  the  brigantine  ran  up  to  his  side, 
his  sword,  one  taken  from  the  enemy,  over  his 
shoulder. 

"  I  am  here,"  he  said,  a  glint  in  his  eye  showing 
that  he  also  was  ready  for  the  attack. 

"  You  will  take  your  own  band  of  lancemen,  and 
will  wait  till  I  raise  my  hand,  for  the  noise  is  too 
great  for  a  shout  to  be  heard  at  a  distance.  When 
I  signal,  throw  yourself  on  the  flanks  of  the  swords- 
men. I  shall  make  a  frontal  attack  at  the  same  time. 
Now  go." 

Roger  might  have  led  an  army  before  by  the 
manner  in  which  he  spoke,  and  by  the  sharpness 
with  which  he  gave  his  orders.  And  those  under 
his  command  seemed  to  appreciate  the  fact  that  he 
was  their  leader  and  well  able  to  direct  them,  for 
they  sprang  to  obey.  Philip  lifted  his  sword,  swung 
round,  and  ran  off  to  his  men.  Meanwhile  the  babel 
of  shouts  had  increased,  the  men  on  the  canoes 
screaming  as  if  they  wished  to  drown  the  shouts 
and  the  whistles  of  the  natives  ashore.  And  no 
doubt  these  same  battle-cries  helped  to  keep  up 
their  courage.  The}'  poured  shafts  from  their  new 
weapons  into  the  Spanish  lance-bearers,  and  those 
behind  the  wall  coming  to  their  aid,  the  enemy  in 
this  part  of  the  field  suddenly  halted,  while  men 


Roger  the  Bold 


dropped  from  the  ranks.  Then  they  turned  and  ran 
for  their  lives,  a  sight  which  roused  the  Mexicans 
to  the  highest  pitch  of  excitement.  But  still  the 
Spaniards  who  were  on  the  right,  and  who  bore 
sword  and  buckler,  pressed  on,  though  not  at  such 
a  swift  pace ;  their  ardour  was  already  damped  by 
the  unexpected  opposition  met  with. 

Roger  motioned  to  Teotlili.  "  Order  all  with  the 
bow  to  pour  their  fire  into  the  swordsmen  ! "  he 
shouted.  Then  he  turned  to  where  Philip  waited  in 
expectation,  and  saw  that  he  was  ready. 

"  In  a  little  while,"  he  said  to  himself,  though  it 
was  as  much  as  he  could  do  to  hold  his  hand.  "  The 
time  for  launching  the  flank  attack  has  not  yet  come. 
Ah,  now  the  bolts  begin  to  tell,  for  they  are  within 
fifty  yards  !  I  will  make  the  signal." 

He  stood  to  his  full  height,  and  lifted  his  arm. 
Then  he  leaped  from  the  wall,  and  ran  to  where 
another  body  of  lancemen  stood  waiting  further 
orders,  the  same  who  had  been  instructed  to  throw 
themselves  on  to  the  left  flank  of  the  enemy. 

"  Follow  me  ! "  he  shouted,  drawing  his  sword. 
"  La.nces  up  !  Form  into  line  !  Now  forward  !  " 

It  was  a  formidable  array  which  he  led,  and  the 
natives  who  followed  did  so  with  the  utmost  deter- 
mination. They  ran  in  a  close  body  from  behind 
the  wall,  wheeled  steadily,  and  then,  with  a  great 
shout,  threw  themselves  agaiqst  the  flank  of  the 
swordsmen.  At  the  same  moment  Philip  brought 
his  command  against  the  opposite  side.  Then  in- 
deed was  the  air  filled  with  shouts  and  shrieks. 
The  Spaniards  fought  fiercely,  cutting  at  the  heads 
of  the  lances.  But  there  were  more  behind,  and 
they  were  forced  to  give  way ;  but  they  could  not 

302 


The  First  Encounter 

turn,  for  to  do  so  would  be  to  be  run  through 
instantly.  i 

"  Charge ! "  bellowed  Roger,  at  the  top  of  his 
voice.  "  Do  not  give  them  time  to  rally,  but  press 
them." 

Not  one  of  the  Aztecs  understood  his  words,  but 
all  heard  his  shout ;  and  when  they  saw  their  young 
leader  throw  himself  impetuously  on  the  Spaniards 
with  his  sword,  they  gathered  together  and  rushed 
forward  with  their  lances.  At  the  same  time  those 
who  had  been  trained  to  follow  in  rear  of  the  men 
who  held  the  lances  dashed  through  the  gaps  in 
their  ranks,  and  fell  upon  the  enemy  furiously ; 
indeed,  never  before  had  the  Spaniards  met  with 
such  fierce  opposition  or  such  strenuous  attack. 
On  former  occasions  their  numerous  allies  had  been 
able  to  help  them,  for  they  had  an  unbounded  faith 
in  their  masters,  just  as  the  Mexicans  had  in  Roger. 
But  these  new  methods  of  warfare  astounded  and 
disheartened  them,  and  the  shafts  from  the  cross- 
bows did  the  rest.  They  retreated  early  in  the 
encounter,  leaving  the  Spaniards  to  themselves. 
Then  the  lance-bearers  amongst  Cortes'  men  gave 
way,  leaving  only  the  swordsmen.  It  was  an 
opportunity,  and  Roger  and  his  men  took  it. 

"Coming!"  shouted  Philip,  as  he  saw  his  friend 
dash  out  against  the  head  of  the  enemy.  "Now, 
into  their  very  centre ! " 

He  flung  his  men  on  the  flank  of  the  swordsmen, 
and  combining  with  Roger's  part,  caused  the 
Spaniards  to  stagger.  A  number  fell,  pierced  by 
the  lances ;  then  the  remainder  turned  and  at- 
tempted to  flee.  But 
them  promptly,  and 


Roger  the  Bold 


advanced  at  a  run  to  the  attack,  only  a  few  returned 
to  their  friends ;  the  rest  were  slain,  and  lay  where 
they  fell. 

"  Let  the  men  retire ! "  said  Roger  to  Teotlili,  as 
his  lancemen  began  to  gather  together  again,  look- 
ing as  if  they  would  like  to  push  on  to  the  camp 
of  the  enemy.  "  Tell  them  to  get  behind  the 
wall  again,  and  wait  for  orders.  These  trained 
bands  are  too  valuable  to  have  their  lives  thrown 
away." 

Accordingly  the  Mexican  noble  whistled  shrilly, 
and  very  soon  all  were  back  behind  the  wall.  But 
their  feelings  now  were  very  different.  They  had, 
for  the  very  first  time  since  they  had  met  with  the 
Spaniards,  defeated  them  in  the  open,  and  their 
jubilation  was  great. 

"Truly  the  manoeuvre  was  well  planned  and 
most  effective,"  said  Teotlili,  as  he  came  to  Roger's 
side.  "  The  king  was  looking  at  us  as  we  fought, 
and  his  messenger  has  just  come  with  his  thanks." 

"  Then  tell  him  that  we  must  fail  next  time," 
answered  Roger,  calmly.  "  The  enemy  will  bring 
up  all  their  strength,  and  we  shall  be  forced  to  give 
way.  But  we  can  renew  the  conflict  elsewhere. 
Let  him  keep  that  in  mind,  and  not  show  dis- 
pleasure or  disappointment  if  we  are  beaten.  And, 
Teotlili " 

"  What  next,  my  lord  ?  " 

"  Make  complete  arrangements  for  the  retire- 
ment of  the  men.  Some  must  take  to  the  boats, 
while  others  can  run  by  means  of  the  aqueduct. 
All  the  crossbow-men  are  to  retire  last,  and  are  to 
harass  the  enemy  as  they  go.  They  can  lie  off  in 
the  canoes  and  fire  from  the  water." 

304 


The  First  Encounter 

The  Mexicans  made  the  most  of  the  lull  in  the 
fighting,  and  whilst  the  Spaniards  gathered  in  their 
camp,  discussing  the  unexpected  turn  of  events, 
Roger  and  his  friends  perfected  their  arrangements 
for  retirement,  for  it  was  clear  to  all  that  prolonged 
resistance  could  not  be  offered.  And,  indeed,  they 
soon  had  cause  to  congratulate  themselves  on  their 
caution  ;  for  Cortes  was  roused  by  the  failure  of  his 
attack,  and  within  an  hour  he  sent  his  complete  force 
against  the  wall,  some  seven  hundred  Spaniards 
attacking  with  unparalleled  fury.  Roger  and  his 
command  resisted  with  determination,  and  held  the 
wall  till  it  was  obvious  that  further  delay  would  be 
disastrous.  Then  Teotlili  put  his  fingers  to  his  lips 
and  sounded  a  shrill  whistle. 

"  That  is  the  signal,"  he  said,  "  and  the  men  with 
the  lances  are  even  now  retiring  by  the  aqueduct. 
We  will  give  them  a  little  while,  and  then  the  others 
can  go." 

"  But  we  must  beat  the  enemy  back  before  they 
move  ! "  exclaimed  Roger.  "  For  otherwise  they 
would  be  in  our  ranks  before  we  were  clear.  Let 
them  collect  here,  and  we  will  dash  out  at  them 
with  a  hundred  lances." 

Again  the  prudence  of  their  young  English 
leader  helped  the  Mexicans,  and  when  the  call  came 
for  a  hundred  of  the  lancemen  to  stay,  a  thousand 
eagerly  offered  their  services.  However,  Teotlili 
soon  picked  out  a  chosen  band,  while  the  others 
retired  swiftly,  and  without  being  seen.  Then  the 
crossbow-men  were  ordered  to  increase  their  fire, 
till  the  attackers  were  confused. 

"  Now  we  will  charge,"  said  Roger,  placing  him- 
self at  the  head  of  the  men.  "  Once  we  have  met 

(P  666)  305  ° 


Roger  the  Bold 


them,  let  every  one  turn  and  run  as  you  give  the 
signal." 

Half  an  hour  later  the  whole  command  was  back 
in  Mexico,  very  few  men  having  been  lost,  while 
the  Spaniards  had  had  numbers  killed  or  wounded, 
and  their  native  allies  had  suffered  heavily.  Then 
for  an  hour  the  crossbow-men  kept  up  a  stinging 
fire,  while  the  enemy  destroyed  the  landward  end 
of  the  aqueduct. 

"  It  is  a  misfortune  which  cannot  he  helped," 
said  Teotlili,  as  he  watched  the  process  of  destruc- 
tion, "and  it  would  have  been  better  for  us  had  the 
people  taken  your  advice,  and  sent  all  the  women 
and  children  away  to  the  hills.  But  the  times  are 
strange  ones.  We  of  Mexico  have  many  enemies, 
and  it  is  likely  that  our  womenkind  might  fall 
amongst  those  who  are  unfriendly.  Still,  their 
presence  here  adds  to  the  mouths  to  be  filled,  and 
to  the  numbers  requiring  water.  For  that  we  must 
rely  upon  the  large  storage  tanks  which  we  have 
constructed.  And  now,  my  lord,  what  arrangements 
shall  be  made  with  regard  to  the  brigantines?" 

They  went  in  search  of  Peter  Tamworth,  while 
their  lookouts  posted  on  the  summit  of  every 
temple  sent  them  word  of  the  movements  of  the 
enemy.  And  very  soon  they  learned  that  the 
brigantines  were  afloat  in  the  lake,  and  were  to  be 
expected  very  soon. 

"  Then,  we  will  send  out  a  fleet  to  meet  them," 
said  Roger,  with  decision.  "  I  grant  that  our 
chances  are  not  very  great,  but  it  happens  that 
there  is  very  little  wind,  and  in  a  light  breeze  our 
small  canoes  can  paddle  faster  than  one  of  these 
Spanish  vessels,  while  our  new  craft  can  sail  with 

306 


The   First  Encounter 

them,  at  least,  if  they  cannot  outstrip  them.  We 
will  try  what  huge  numbers  and  a  fierce  attack 
will  do." 

"And  meanwhile  I  will  communicate  the  news 
which  has  just  reached  me,"  said  Teotlili.  "  Our 
scouts  and  spies  have  obtained  full  information  of 
the  movements  of  the  enemy,  and  of  their  method 
of  attack.  He  is  a  crafty  man,  this  Malinche,  and 
he  is  closing  a  huge  net  about  us.  Already  he  has 
marched  his  men  completely  round  the  lake,  and 
now  he  has  divided  them  into  three  divisions." 

"An  arrangement  which  we  have  foreseen," 
Roger  reminded  him.  "  We  are  prepared  for  com- 
bined attack  from  three  or  more  quarters,  and  for 
one  from  the  lake  side  itself." 

"  Then  these  are  the  commanders  and  their 
positions,  the  information  being  reliable.  Pedro 
de  Alvarado  will  go  to  Tlacuba,  which  lies  close  to 
the  post  which  we  have  just  defended,  and  is  at  the 
end  of  the  shorter  causeway.  He  commands  thirty 
horsemen,  some  twenty  with  crossbow  or  musket, 
and  twenty  thousand  native  allies.  In  addition, 
he  will  have  one  hundred  and  fifty  soldiers  armed 
with  sword  and  buckler. 

"  Cristoval  de  Olid  has  a  force  of  like  proportions, 
except  that  he  will  command  more  of  the  allies,  and 
he  will  take  post  at  Cuyoacan,  a  town  at  the  en- 
trance of  a  second  short  causeway,  and  one  which 
runs  to  the  main  causeway  outside  the  city. 

"  Gonzalo  de  Sandoval  will  take  charge  of  the 
third  force,  and  will  have  as  many  as  thirty  thousand 
allies,  and  Spaniards  equal  in  numbers  to  the  other 
commanders,  only  fifty  of  his  swordsmen  will  be 
picked  soldiers,  who  are  to  act  as  a  bodyguard  to 

307 


Roger  the   Bold 


Malinche  when  he  joins  the  troops.  But  we  shall 
see,  my  lord.  It  may  be  that  a  bodyguard  even 
will  be  unable  to  protect  them.  This  third  force 
will  go  to  Iztapalapa,  and  march  on  to  the  main 
causeway,  where  they  will  fight  their  way,  with  the 
object  of  coming  to  the  junction  of  the  smaller 
causeway  and  there  meeting  their  friends  under 
De  Olid  They  will  be  supported  by  the  brigantines, 
which  will  have  all  the  sailors  aboard,  as  well  as 
fighting  men,  and  will  be  commanded  by  Malinche 
himself." 

"Then  we  must  make  a  special  effort  against 
them,"  said  Roger.  "As  to  the  junction  being 
formed,  that  is  a  matter  which  we  must  put  a  stop 
to.  We  must  do  all  that  we  can  to  delay  the 
advance,  and,  if  possible,  we  must  lure  the  attacking 
divisions  on  singly,  so  as  to  destroy  them  one 
by  one." 

The  plans  of  the  Spaniards  needed  a  large 
amount  of  consideration  on  the  part  of  the  Mexicans, 
and  Roger  and  the  king,  with  Teotlili  and  other 
nobles,  spent  many  hours  in  discussing  the  means 
of  defence.  That  Cortes  had  made  clever  arrange- 
ments for  the  siege  and  taking  of  the  city  could  not 
be  denied,  and  his  first  action  had  shown  his  astute- 
ness;  for  he  had  cut  off  the  water  supply,  well 
knowing  that  the  resistance  of  the  Mexicans  de- 
pended largely  on  this.  Then,  too,  his  decision  to 
assail  the  city  from  three  separate  points  at  one 
and  the  same  time  was  a  wise  one,  for  thereby  he 
engaged  every  one  of  the  defenders,  and  none  could 
rest.  This  in  itself  was  a  serious  matter,  for  though 
the  Mexican  numbers  were  huge,  their  whole  force 
would  be  compelled  to  remain  alert,  if  not  actually 

308 


The   First  Encounter 

engaged,  ready  to  reinforce  any  part  specially 
threatened.  The  troops  under  Cortes,  on  the  other 
hand,  were  even  more  numerous,  and  some  could 
rest  while  their  comrades  were  fighting;  for  the 
causeways  gave  limited  space,  and  it  was  impossible 
for  all  to  come  to  close  quarters  with  the  enemy. 

As  to  the  points  from  which  his  attacks  were  to 
be  launched,  they  were  undoubtedly  the  best  under 
the  circumstances,  though,  had  he  wished,  he  could 
have  selected  a  fourth,  thereby  launching  his  men 
along  each  end  of  the  main  causeway,  and  by  each 
one  of  the  branches  which  led  into  it.  But  he  was 
too  astute  to  block  up  the  path  of  retreat.  He 
recognised  that  even  with  all  his  allies  he  had  an 
enormous  host  to  contend  with,  and  that  all  were 
filled  with  desperation  and  determination.  His 
spies  had  told  him  that,  and  also  that  amongst  the 
allies  who  had  come  into  the  city  there  were  some 
who,  like  those  outside,  might  in  time  waver.  It 
would  be  wise  policy  to  give  them  a  free  outlet  to 
escape,  and  thereby  reduce  the  numbers  of  the 
defenders.  And  to  further  this  solution  he  took 
care  to  send  messages  to  these  friends  of  the 
Mexicans,  offering  every  inducement  to  cause  them 
to  waver  in  their  allegiance. 

His  arrangements  made,  as  Teotlili  had  correctly 
reported,  Cortes  no  sooner  saw  the  aqueduct  de- 
stroyed, than  he  sent  his  divisions  to  their  posts, 
and  caused  the  brigantines  to  be  floated.  A  glance 
at  the  plan  of  Mexico  will  show  the  camps  of  the 
Spaniards,  and  the  reader  will  be  able  to  see  the 
construction  of  the  causeways.  One  running  directly 
from  shore  to  shore,  through  the  heart  of  the  city, 
while  a  second — that  by  which  Pedro  de  Alvarado 

309 


Roger  the  Bold 


was  to  force  an  entrance— cut  out  from  the  shore 
to  what  might  be  described  as  the  back  of  Mexico. 
For  this  fine  city  was  situated  at  one  end  of  the 
lake,  within  easy  distance  of  the  shore  to  which  the 
causeways  connected  it,  while  its  face  might  be  said 
to  look  out  to  the  vast  expanse  of  salt  lake  on 
which  the  brigantines  had  just  been  floated.  And 
these  latter  could  attack  this  side  alone  and  the 
long  causeway  running  through  the  heart  of  the 
city,  for  the  latter  presented  a  barrier  through 
which  only  canoes  could  pass.  There  were  three 
other  causeways  or  viaducts,  one  of  which  De  Olid 
was  to  march  by,  while  the  other  two  were  small 
and  insignificant,  and  ran  from  the  north-western 
shore. 

A  few  words  will  describe  the  preparations  of 
the  defenders,  many  carried  out  at  the  suggestion  of 
Roger.  Numerous  breaches  had  been  constructed 
along  the  causeways,  planks  being  left  for  the  use 
of  the  Mexicans.  Then  barricades  had  been  built  of 
sun-dried  bricks  at  the  back  of  these  breaches,  and 
crossbow  shafts  piled  there,  with  an  ample  supply 
of  lances  and  other  weapons.  Canoes  lay  on  either 
side,  ready  to  hamper  the  attackers  in  every  pos- 
sible manner,  while  all  carried  long  poles  with 
hooks  at  the  end. 

It  must  not  be  imagined  that  the  Mexicans 
allowed  each  party  to  fight  independent  of  the 
others,  for  to  have  done  so  would  have  led  to  early 
disaster ;  but,  as  Cortes  had  anticipated,  they  held 
a  huge  force  in  reserve,  and  their  operations  were 
directed  from  the  central  and  tallest  tower  of  all, 
from  the  summit  of  which  all  the  causeways,  the 
lake,  and,  in  fact,  the  whole  fighting  arena,  could  be 

310 


The   First  Encounter 

seen.  Thus  prepared,  with  a  store  of  water  and  of 
food,  and  with  arrangements  made  whereby  fresh 
provisions  were  brought  in  from  the  northern  shore 
by  canoe  or  by  the  open  causeway  every  day,  the 
Mexicans,  with  their  gallant  young  king  and  Roger 
at  their  head,  looked  for  the  coming  of  the  enemy, 
and  particularly  for  the  sailing  of  the  fleet  of  brigan- 
tines.  Nor  had  they  long  to  wait,  for  by  now  the 
canal  which  Cortes  had  caused  to  be  dug  at  Tezcuco 
was  completed  and  joined  to  the  lake,  and  very  soon 
the  brigantines  were  floating  on  the  surface  of  the 
vast  basin,  at  the  far  corner  of  which  was  situated 
the  city  of  Mexico.  Then  the  report  came  that  their 
masts  were  erected,  and  soon  they  were  steering 
down  the  lake,  propelled  by  a  light  breeze. 

"  There  is  a  stir  in  the  camps  of  the  enemy  also," 
said  Teotlili,  receiving  a  message  from  one  of  the 
lookouts.  "Our  men  are  prepared  on  the  cause- 
ways, and  we  are  expecting  attack." 

"  Then  we  will  set  out  in  the  canoes  as  soon  as 
the  brigantines  are  within  a  few  leagues,"  answered 
Roger.  "  I  will  go  now  to  the  port  and  prepare  to 
sail." 

An  hour  later  he,  with  Philip  to  keep  him  com- 
pany, set  foot  on  one  of  the  bulky  craft  constructed 
of  several  canoes,  and  put  off  from  Mexico.  They 
were  followed  by  Peter  and  a  host  of  the  Mexicans, 
some  in  the  larger  craft  which  were  propelled  by 
sails,  and  more  in  the  single  canoes  urged  by  means 
of  paddles.  The  whole  fleet  steered  from  the  city 
towards  the  enemy,  and  met  them  some  three 
leagues  away,  where  they  lay,  the  brigantines  sway- 
ing to  and  fro,  their  canvas  flapping  idly,  for  there 
was  now  no  wind  at  all. 

311 


Roger  the  Bold 

"  Nothing  could  be  more  favourable,"  exclaimed 
Roger.  "  We  will  attack  at  once,  and  before  they 
get  a  breeze  to  help  them." 

The  cotton  sheets  which  were  hoisted  aboard 
the  larger  craft  were  lowered,  and  paddles  seized. 
Then  the  fleet  of  canoes  dashed  forward,  forty  or 
more  making  for  each  brigantine. 


CHAPTER  XVII 
A  Fleet  of  Brigantines 

BOOM !  A  cannon-shot  thundered  from  the 
nearest  brigantine,  and  a  ball  ploughed  its 
way  through  the  very  heart  of  the  fleet  of  Mexican 
canoes.  Boom !  a  second  shot  rang  out,  and  was 
followed  by  a  fusillade,  which  was  helped  from  each 
one  of  the  ships. 

"  Forward  ! "  called  out  Teotlili,  who  was  with 
Roger  and  Philip.  "Take  no  heed  of  their  shot, 
but  close  in  and  scramble  aboard.  Our  numbers 
will  overwhelm  them." 

"Shout  to  the  men  to  separate,"  called  out  Roger ; 
"  then  there  will  be  less  chance  of  being  hit.  Now, 
push  on.  A  breeze  would  ruin  our  chances." 

"And  one  is  coming,  my  leader,"  said  Peter, 
mournfully,  pointing  to  the  sky.  "  There  is  wind 
there,  and  it  will  fill  the  sails  before  we  can  get  to 
this  fleet.  They  are  a  long  cannon-shot  from  us  yet, 
and  there  is  time  for  them  to  gather  way.  Better 
perhaps  to  retire." 

"  Better  to  risk  disaster  than  do  that,"  exclaimed 
Roger,  sharply.  "  To  retire  would  be  to  dishearten 
the  men.  Forward !  We  will  make  a  brave  attempt 
to  capture  them." 

He  urged  the  rowers  to  get  the  bulky  craft  aheacj 
313 


Roger  the  Bold 


of  the  others,  and,  thanks  to  the  fact  that  more  than 
thirty  were  plying  the  paddles,  the  boat  shot  ahead 
and  took  the  lead.  Then  Roger  pointed  to  the 
largest  of  the  brigantines. 

"  Run  us  aboard  that,"  he  said  in  peremptory 
tones,  "and,  Philip,  prepare  to  follow  me  over  the 
side.  The  natives  will  come  after  us  willingly,  and 
with  a  rush  we  may  capture  the  craft.  Now,  push 
on,  push  on  !  " 

His  eye  shifted  from  the  brigantines  to  the  sky, 
and  back  to  the  surface  of  the  lake.  It  was  ruffled 
already,  he  noticed,  and  the  large,  flapping  sails  of 
the  enemy's  fleet  flapped  louder  still,  while  some 
bellied.  It  Was  a  question  of  time,  he  knew,  for  if 
the  brigantines  could  get  the  wind,  and  a  good  one, 
too,  they  could  sail  away  from  the  canoes,  could 
circle  round  them,  and  deluge  the  Mexicans  with 
shot.  Worse  still,  these  bulky  vessels,  the  like  of 
which  had  never  appeared  on  the  lake  before  in  the 
memory  of  man,  would,  if  they  were  sailed  boldly 
down  upon  the  canoes  of  the  Mexicans,  over- 
whelm them,  and  ride  over  them  as  if  they  were 
straws  floating  in  the  water.  It  was  a  race,  and 
Roger  and  his  men  made  strenuous  efforts  to 
win  it. 

"  They  are  off.  Look  at  their  sails.  They  are 
under  way !  Master  Roger,  'twould  be  better  to 
beat  a  retreat." 

Peter   took  him  by  the  sleeve,  but  our  hero 
shook  him  off. 

"  We  have  men  to  spare,  even  if  the  whole  fleet 
be  sunk,"  he  said,  "  and  at  this  stage  of  the  battle  it 
is  better  to  risk  all  than  to  set  a  bad  example.  Let 
us  show  the  Spaniards  that  we  will  not  be  conquered 

314 


A   Fleet  of  Brigantines 

without  a  struggle.  Come,  take  the  tiller,  and  set 
us  aboard." 

He  was  inflexible  now  that  he  had  given  his 
orders,  and,  come  what  might,  was  determined  to 
give  battle  to  the  enemy. 

"  It  may  seem  unwise,"  he  said  to  himself  over 
and  over  again,  "  but  it  is  a  necessary  act,  I  am  sure. 
Besides,  if  we  could  cripple  one  of  the  brigantines 
only  it  would  be  something  gained,  even  at  the  cost 
of  thousands  of  lives.  And,  if  the  wind  is  really 
coming  steadily,  they  would  be  after  us  if  we  re- 
tired, and  would  treat  us  just  as  badly  as  they  can 
do  now.  No.  Attack  is  the  only  thing  for  us,  and 
we  will  see  it  through." 

By  now  the  two  fleets  were  rapidly  approaching 
one  another — the  Spaniards  moving  slowly  through 
the  water,  with  their  sails  only  half  filled,  while  the 
Mexican  fleet  advanced  at  a  swifter  pace,  propelled 
by  paddles.  Those  who  were  free  to  do  so  answered 
the  cannon-shots  with  shouts  and  shrill  whistles, 
while  every  canoe  showed  a  number  of  dusky  figures 
brandishing  their  arms.  Occasionally  a  shot  would 
strike  one  of  the  tiny  craft,  and  she  would  sink  at 
once,  the  occupants  swimming  away  to  others,  or 
turning  their  heads  toward  the  city.  Roger  hardly 
noticed  these,  however.  His  eye  was  fixed  upon 
the  large  brigantine,  which  he  was  determined  to 
capture.  And  those  aboard  her  evidently  saw  his 
object,  for  they  trained  a  gun  upon  him  and  took 
careful  aim. 

"  Tis  the  dog  of  a  white  giant,"  said  the  gunner 
who  trained  the  piece.  "  Stand  back,  while  I  blow 
him  to  atoms !  " 

He  waved  his  comrades  to  one  side  and  squinted 

315 


Roger  the   Bold 


along  the  sight.  Then  he  raised  his  head  and  peered 
over  the  side. 

"The  breeze  comes  stronger,"  he  said  with  a 
husky  laugh,  "  and  maybe  the  gun  will  not  be  re- 
quired. But  I  will  try.  I  would  give  a  gold  doubloon 
to  be  able  to  strike  the  head  from  that  fellow." 

Once  more  his  eye  went  to  the  piece,  and  he 
adjusted  the  aim  minutely.  Then  he  touched  the 
vent  with  his  port-fire  and  sprang  away.  There 
was  a  roar,  a  spout  of  smoke  and  flame  flew  from 
the  brigantine's  side,  and  a  shot  hummed  over  the 
craft  in  which  Roger  stood. 

"  A  close  ball,"  he  remarked  with  a  laugh.  "  The 
Spaniards  have  singled  us  out  and  hope  to  sink  us. 
But  we  shall  be  there  before  they  can  repeat  the 
attempt.  Warn  the  men  to  be  ready." 

Teotlili  did  as  he  was  asked,  and  then  stood 
beside  his  friend,  both  watching  the  gunner  aboard 
the  brigantine.  By  now  they  were  much  closer, 
and  it  was  possible  to  make  out  his  figure  distinctly, 
and  even  to  see  his  features. 

"  A  face  which  I  have  good  cause  to  know,"  ex- 
claimed Roger,  suddenly,  staring  at  the  enemy. 
"That  is  Alvarez,  the  traitor  who  stole  the  golden 
sign  and  afterwards  nearly  stabbed  me  to  death. 
There  is  added  reason  for  capturing  that  vessel. 
Urge  the  rowers  on,  Teotlili.  Time  is  of  the 
utmost  importance." 

Time  was,  in  fact,  of  more  than  the  utmost  im- 
portance. Every  minute  brought  added  freshness 
to  the  wind,  and  the  brigantines,  which  a  little  while 
before  had  lain  there  rolling  lazily,  were  now  run- 
ning free,  and  churning  up  a  salt  wave  at  their  bows. 
It  became  no  longer  a  race,  for  the  Spaniards  now 

316 


A  Fleet  of  Brigantines 

bore  down  upon  the  fleet  of  Mexican  canoes ;  but  it 
was  simply  a  question  of  where  the  combatants 
would  meet,  and  whether  the  canoes  would  be  able 
to  grapple  with  the  enemy. 

"  We  shall  be  stove  in  and  sunk  at  once,"  said 
Peter ;  "  and  now  it  is  too  late  to  retire.  Better  give 
orders  to  all  to  seize  the  vessel  and  abandon  this." 

"  Whereby  we  shall  make  sure  of  her  capture," 
exclaimed  Roger.  "  A  good  thought,  Peter,  and 
the  order  shall  be  given.  Tell  all  the  crew  to  spring 
for  the  rail  and  fight  their  way  on  to  the  deck,  Teo- 
tlili.  Let  them  desert  this  craft,  for  it  will  be  useless. 
Ah !  the  distance  grows  less.  That  ruffian  is  about 
to  fire." 

He  pointed  to  the  bows  of  the  brigantine,  to  the 
figure  posted  there,  now  without  doubt  that  of 
Alvarez.  He  was  peering  over  the  rail  again,  wait- 
ing for  the  craft  to  come  to  closer  quarters,  and  the 
smoke  of  his  port-fire  could  be  seen  as  he  blew 
upon  it. 

"For  the  god  of  air!"  he  shouted  out,  catching 
sight  of  Roger  and  waving  the  brand.  "  This  will 
send  him  quicker  to  his  end  than  would  the  stroke 
of  a  dagger.  One  minute  and  he  and  his  men  will 
be  blown  from  the  water." 

He  shook  his  fist  at  the  approaching  canoe,  and 
then  bent  to  his  sights  again. 

"  Put  us  over  a  little,"  said  Roger,  quietly,  touch- 
ing Peter's  arm  to  attract  his  attention.  "Now, 
Teotlili,  let  the  men  stop  rowing." 

Paddles  were  at  once  drawn  from  the  water, 
while  the  way  on  the  craft  allowed  her  to  be 
steered  to  one  side.  She  shot  to  the  left,  while  the 
brigantine  held  on  her  course.  Almost  at  the  same 

317 


Roger  the   Bold 


moment  Alvarez  blew  on  his  port-fire  again  and 
applied  it  to  the  vent,  sending  a  charge  of  small  shot 
tearing  through  the  air,  to  strike  the  surface  of  the 
lake  within  a  few  feet  of  the  canoe. 

"  Row,  and  put  us  over  again,"  shouted  Roger. 
"That  is  right.  She  will  strike  us  within  a  minute, 
and  we  must  climb.  Put  her  nose  up  as  the  brigan- 
tine  gets  close,  and  then  she  will  not  roll  us  over." 

There  was  a  moment  of  confusion  while  the 
orders  were  carried  out.  But  Peter  was  an  excellent 
seaman,  and  had  been  in  dangerous  work  before. 
He  held  his  tiller  firmly,  beckoned  to  the  rowers  to 
give  a  few  strokes  with  their  paddles,  and  then,  just 
as  the  stem  of  the  brigantine  bore  up  for  the  broad- 
side of  the  craft,  he  put  his  helm  over  again,  causing 
the  enemy's  vessel  to  sail  smoothly  alongside. 

"Aboard  her !  Cling  to  her  rails,"  shouted  Roger, 
springing  to  that  side  of  the  canoe  and  leaping  for 
the  deck  of  the  brigantine.  He  was  followed  by 
every  man  aboard,  and  ere  a  minute  had  passed 
some  fifty  natives  were  hanging  to  the  brigantine — 
some  half  upon  the  deck,  while  others  merely  re- 
tained a  grip  of  the  rail.  As  for  their  canoe,  it 
swung  round  till  the  stern  was  caught  by  the  brigan- 
tine, which  happened  to  roll  at  that  instant.  The 
impact  caused  the  Mexican  craft  to  crumple  up  as  if 
she  had  been  made  of  paper,  and  before  any  one  could 
have  thought  it  possible  it  had  gone  to  the  bottom. 
It  was  a  desperate  situation  for  the  attackers,  and  all 
recognized  f  hat  victory  must  be  won  if  they  wished 
to  live.  One  by  one  they  scrambled  on  to  the  deck, 
though  a  few  were  flung  off  by  the  Spaniards.  But 
the  latter  had  been  taken  by  surprise  at  the  sudden 
manoeuvre  of  the  Mexicans,  and  before  they  could 

318 


A  Fleet  of  Brigantines 

dash  along  to  that  side,  Roger  and  Peter  and  Philip 
stood  firmly  upon  the  deck,  with  some  forty  natives 
beside  them. 

"  Charge  before  they  can  use  their  muskets  and 
crossbows ! "  shouted  Roger.  "  St.  George  !  St. 
George !  Follow  to  the  stern." 

His  sword  was  held  firmly  in  his  hand,  and  he 
had  long  ago  donned  his  steel  cap.  With  that  to 
protect  him,  and  a  thickly  padded  cotton  jerkin 
over  his  chest,  he  flung  himself  upon  the  astounded 
Spaniards  recklessly,  his  eye  searching  for  Alvarez. 
Men  opposed  him,  and  dashed  at  him  with  their 
swords.  But  he  hardly  seemed  to  notice.  His  deft 
blade  put  the  thrusts  and  cuts  aside,  while  his  furious 
blows  cut  his  assailants  down.  One  man  even  dis- 
charged a  musket  in  his  face,  the  bullet  tearing  over 
his  head,  while  the  flames  from  the  discharge  singed 
his  hair.  But  Roger  hardly  noticed  the  incident, 
for  at  that  very  moment  he  had  caught  sight  of  the 
crafty  Alvarez  standing  in  rear  of  his  comrades, 
where  he  had  run  from  the  bows. 

"  Ah,  Alvarez  the  traitor ! "  he  shouted  scorn- 
fully, while  the  Spaniard  glared  at  Roger  like  a  tiger. 
"  Alvarez  the  traitor,  who  took  us  all  in  and  deceived 
us.  Well,  within  a  minute  I  shall  be  with  you,  and 
then  there  shall  be  payment  of  my  debt.  Let  every 
one  who  comes  within  reach  of  that  man  secure  him 
alive,  for  I  want  him.  And  be  sure  to  take  him  with 
the  satchel  which  he  wears  beneath  his  arm." 

Roger's  quick  eye  had  seen  the  same  bag  in  which 
he  had  brought  the  golden  sign  ashore  now  secured 
over  Alvarez's  shoulder,  and  doubtless  containing 
the  coveted  disc — the  plaque  which  held  the  secret 
of  the  Mexican  treasure,  and  which,  if  he  could  only 

319 


Roger  the  Bold 


secure  it,  would  lead  to  an  immense  reward  for  him- 
self and  the  expedition ;  that  is,  supposing  he  and 
his  comrades  escaped  from  Mexico,  which  was  not 
at  all  certain.  In  the  meanwhile  they  had  their 
hands  sufficiently  full,  for  as  they  fought  on  the 
deck  of  the  Spanish  brigantine,  the  other  vessels 
sailing  beneath  the  flag  of  Castile  bore  down  upon 
them,  churning  their  way  through  a  mass  of  canoes, 
which  were  swamped  for  all  the  world  as  though 
they  were  but  tiny  shells.  None  of  the  Mexican 
craft  could  withstand  these  heavy  vessels — not  even 
those  constructed  by  Peter  Tamworth.  The  huge 
prows  of  the  brigantines  crashed  into  them  and  bore 
them  down,  rolling  them  and  their  freight  over,  and 
sending  the  canoes  to  the  bottom.  The  natives, 
however,  could  swim  like  fish,  and  while  numbers 
made  vain  attempts  to  clamber  aboard  the  brigan- 
tines, others  swam  to  their  comrades  or  turned  for 
the  long  swim  home.  But  they  had  to  contend  with 
more  than  water  alone,  for  as  the  brigantines  ran,  the 
Spanish  plied  the  enemy  with  their  guns,  using  small 
shot,  one  of  which  was  sufficient  to  wreck  a  canoe, 
while  broadsides  often  slew  fifty  and  more  of  the  un- 
fortunate Mexicans.  Then  the  crossbow-men  aboard 
turned  to  the  brigantine  on  which  Roger  and  his 
friends  fought,  sending  their  shafts  amongst  them. 

"  Tell  some  of  our  men  to  keep  down  that  fire," 
gasped  Roger,  halting  for  a  moment  and  turning  to 
Teotlili.  "  Now,  Peter  and  Philip,  one  more  effort 
and  we  will  drive  these  Spaniards  out  into  the  lake. 
Shoulder  to  shoulder,  and  bring  up  some  of  the 
natives  with  the  lances.  We  will  make  a  capture, 
and  will  take  this  fellow  Alvarez ;  for  see,  the  disc 
is  hanging  to  his  shoulder." 

320 


A  Fleet  of  Brigantines 

They  gathered  into  a  close  body  again,  and  at  a 
shout  from  our  hero  advanced  along  the  deck  at  a 
run.  The  Spaniards  opposed  them  stubbornly,  but 
the  lances  kept  the  swordsmen  well  away,  while  the 
crossbows  held  the  fire  from  the  nearest  brigantines. 
And  while  the  lances  hampered  the  enemy,  Roger 
and  his  two  comrades,  together  with  a  number  of 
the  Mexicans  who  were  armed  with  their  obsidian 
swords,  dashed  into  close  quarters,  and  struck 
fiercely  at  their  opponents.  There  was  a  desperate 
melee,  a  struggle,  the  fate  of  which  hung  in  the 
balance,  and  a  conflict  at  which  Alvarez  the  traitor 
stared  as  if  he  were  dumfounded.  He  was  cornered. 
He  saw  before  him  men  who  were  determined  to 
win,  and  men,  moreover,  who  had  a  personal  enmity 
for  himself.  He  remembered  his  treachery — the 
dastardly  blow  which  he  had  struck  at  the  young 
giant  fighting  in  the  very  centre  of  the  ship's  deck, 
and  he  trembled  now  for  the  consequences.  He 
stood  with  the  port-fire  still  smouldering  in  his  hand, 
and  a  look  of  terror  on  his  face.  Then  seeing  his 
comrades  slowly  giving  way,  he  dived  below  and 
disappeared  for  a  moment. 

"  He  is  a  coward  at  heart,"  shouted  Roger,  who 
had  kept  an  eye  on  him.  "  He  has  slunk  below  the 
deck,  and  there  we  shall  find  him.  Now,  one  rush 
and  we  shall  have  the  craft." 

"  He  has  come  up  again.  What  devil's  trick  is 
he  playing  ? "  suddenly  exclaimed  Philip.  "  See 
him ;  he  has  something  in  his  hand  !  He  is  laying  a 
train  ! " 

"  And  will  blow  the  brigantine  up !  The  villain ! " 
shouted  Roger.  Let  us  get  to  him  before  he  can 
apply  the  match." 

(B«M)  321  * 


Roger  the  Bold 


They  made  frantic  efforts  to  come  at  Alvarez, 
and  their  terrific  blows  forced  the  enemy  back. 
Then  Roger  rushed  like  a  maddened  bull  into 
the  very  centre  of  the  Spaniards,  and  with  a  shout 
of  consternation  they  gave  way  and  ran  to  the  stern. 
But  they  were  not  allowed  to  pause  there,  for  the 
Mexicans  were  now  fully  roused.  The  lances  were 
levelled,  and  the  natives  came  at  a  run  full  tilt  at 
their  enemies.  It  was  a  desperate  situation  for  the 
Spaniards.  They  had  to  choose  between  death 
from  those  lances  and  the  swords  of  the  Englishmen, 
or  a  leap  into  the  lake  and  the  possibility  of  being 
rescued  by  their  friends  or  of  being  taken  by  the 
enemy. 

"Jump  ! "  shouted  Alvarez ;  " they  shall  not  have 
the  vessel.  "Jump  !  I  have  made  a  train  ready  and 
will  fire  it.  Now  overboard,  every  man  of  you." 

He  glanced  along  the  deck,  gave  Roger  a  look 
which  spoke  volumes,  and  which  threatened  un- 
utterable reprisals,  and  then  blew  on  his  match. 

"  We  will  send  their  god  of  air  higher  than  he 
had  hoped,"  he  shouted  with  a  derisive  laugh.  "  We 
will  send  him  to  the  skies,  and  in  little  pieces. 
Farewell,  Roger  de  Luce,  onetime  lieutenant  aboard 
the  brigantine,  and  now  Roger  the  Cacique,  lord  of 
Mexico.  We  shall  not  meet  again." 

The  lances  were  within  four  yards  of  him  when 
he  thrust  the  match  into  the  black  train  trailing 
across  the  deck.  But  even  then  his  coolness  and 
determination  did  not  desert  him.  He  pushed  in,, 
the  glowing  end  and  waited  till  the  grains  com- 
menced to  splutter.  Then  he  tossed  the  brand  full 
at  Roger,  and  setting  the  example  to  his  men,  leaped 
over  the  side,  the  Spaniards  following  instantly, 

322 


A  Fleet  of  Brigantines 

tumbling  into  the  lake  with  a  series  of  loud  splashes, 
and  with  loud  shouts  to  attract  the  attention  of  their 
comrades.  As  for  the  attackers,  the  Mexicans  hardly 
realized  what  was  happening,  for  they  were  unac- 
quainted with  the  powers  of  gunpowder,  and  even 
then,  after  their  conflicts  with  the  Spaniards,  did 
not  know  how  the  thunder  of  their  guns  was  pro- 
duced, nor  the  means  by  which  the  ball  was  driven. 
They  stared  over  the  side,  therefore,  while  the 
crossbow-men  sent  their  shafts  at  the  swimmers. 
And  there  they  would  have  remained,  deafening  the 
air  with  their  shouts  of  triumph,  had  it  not  been  for 
their  leader.  Roger  bounded  forward  and  leaped 
at  the  spluttering  train,  hoping  to  put  out  the  fire 
with  his  foot.  But  it  ran  as  swiftly  as  a  man  could 
travel,  and  as  he  reached  the  black  and  smoking 
line  which  it  had  left,  he  saw  that  it  was  already 
descending  the  rough  ladder  which  led  below,  and 
was  racing  over  the  piece  of  canvas  on  which  Alvarez 
had  laid  it.  Beyond,  in  the  darkness,  which  the 
flashes  of  thepowder  helped  to  lighten  spasmodically, 
was  the  faint  outline  of  a  barrel. 

"  The  powder  !  We  are  dead  men  if  we  do  not 
leap  overboard ! "  he  shouted.  Then  he  seized 
Teotlili  and  dragged  him  to  the  side. 

"  Tell  all  to  leap  at  once  for  their  lives,"  he  said. 
"Come,  Philip,  Peter,  and  every  one.  We  will 
capture  Alvarez  in  the  water." 

There  was  not  a  moment  to  be  lost,  and  there- 
fore, without  another  glance  at  those  aboard,  he 
flung  himself  into  the  water,  and  swimming  beneath 
the  surface  as  far  as  possible,  rose  at  length  when 
he  was  forced  to  do  so  by  the  need  of  air.  At  the 
same  instant  there  was  a  deafening  explosion,  the 

323 


Roger  the  Bold 


brigantine  split  into  fragments,  while  her  deck  and 
spars,  together  with  some  dozen  of  the  unhappy 
natives,  were  flung  into  the  air  with  terrific  force, 
the  debris  descending  within  a  few  seconds,  and 
splashing  into  the  lake.  Roger  trod  water  and 
looked  vainly  for  Alvarez.  But  he  was  nowhere  to 
be  seen.  Then  he  turned  to  look  for  Peter  and 
Philip,  to  find  them  close  behind  him. 

"  The  enemy  are  being  picked  up  by  that  brigan- 
tine," gasped  Philip,  pointing  to  one  which  was 
close  at  hand.  "  We  had  better  move  away,  or  they 
will  take  us  prisoners." 

"  Or  shoot  us  down  with  their  shafts,"  spluttered 
Peter,  who  was  no  great  swimmer.  "  Better  get 
aboard  one  of  the  canoes." 

"We  must  do  so  at  once,"  answered  Roger. 
"  Alvarez  must  escape  for  the  time,  but  I  know  that 
he  is  with  the  enemy  now,  and  that  he  has  the  disc. 
Let  him  wait,  for  I  will  take  him  yet,  and  make  him 
pay  for  his  treachery.  Ah,  here  is  Teotlili." 

"  My  lord,  I  have  whistled  for  one  of  the  larger 
craft.  Let  us  get  aboard  and  be  gone.  It  would  be 
well  to  signal  to  all  to  retire.  The  brigantines  are 
too  strong  for  us." 

The  Mexican  noble  trod  water  vigorously,  and 
waved  his  arm.  At  the  signal  one  of  the  larger 
craft  dashed  up  at  a  brisk  pace,  for  the  sails  had 
been  hoisted  again,  and  very  soon  she  had  taken 
the  swimmers  aboard.  Then  Roger  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing  how  the  battle  went,  and  realized 
that  Teotlili  had  spoken  correctly.  For  the  brigan- 
tines would  have  conquered  even  if  they  had  had 
no  armed  men  aboard,  and  merely  sufficient  to  man 
the  ropes  and  the  tiller.  The  breeze  had  freshened, 

324 


A   Fleet  of  Brigantines 

and  the  surface  of  the  lake  was  now  driven  into  little 
waves,  on  which  the  canoes  danced  up  and  down. 
And  through  the  water  came  the  brigantines,  handled 
by  men  who  knew  their  work  well.  They  came  down 
upon  the  line  of  canoes,  and  plunged  through  and 
through  them,  upsetting  them,  crashing  their  tim- 
bers, and  sending  them  to  the  bottom.  Then  they 
wheeled,  and  came  back  again,  spreading  shot  and 
crossbow  shafts  amongst  the  swimmers  and  those 
on  the  canoes.  Nothing  could  withstand  them,  and 
though  Roger  and  his  friends  made  another  gallant 
attempt  to  board  one  of  the  enemy,  they  failed,  a 
cannon-shot  stripping  their  craft  of  its  free-board, 
and  causing  it  to  sink.  Once  more  he  was  thrown 
into  the  water,  and  with  difficulty  was  picked  up  by 
another  of  the  craft  made  up  of  several  canoes. 

"  Better  turn  our  faces  to  Mexico,"  said  Teotlili> 
who  possessed  wonderful  vitality.  "  All  is  lost  here, 
my  lord,  while  there  we  can  still  fight.  The  ships 
are  too  strong  for  us." 

Roger  reluctantly  admitted  the  fact,  and  at  once 
the  shrill  whistle,  the  signal  for  retreat,  sounded 
across  the  lake.  The  canoes  turned  about,  and  men 
laboured  at  the  oars  to  get  away  from  the  enemy. 
But  the  breeze  that  day  was  unfriendly  to  the 
Mexicans.  It  filled  the  sails  of  the  brigantines,  till 
the  vessels  heeled  with  the  pressure,  while  they 
came  through  the  water  with  a  big  foaming  wave 
at  their  cutwaters.  Their  pace  easily  enabled  them 
to  come  up  with  the  flying  canoes,  and  once  again 
they  ploughed  through  them,  sinking  them  and  kill- 
ing or  drowning  the  occupants.  It  was  a  disaster, 
and  Roger  was  not  to  escape  from  it  so  easily.  For 
Alvarez  had  never  lost  sight  of  him. 

325 


Roger  the   Bold 


"That  is  the  craft,"  he  bellowed  in  the  ear  of  the 
commander  of  the  brigantine  on  which  he  had  taken 
refuge.  "  There  is  their  god  of  air,  the  Mexican 
cacique  hailing  from  England.  Follow  the  canoe, 
and  you  will  win  honour  for  all  of  us.  Cortes  will 
give  you  promotion  and  a  special  reward." 

He  raced  to  the  bows  and  stood  there  staring 
out  at  Roger,  shaking  his  fist  at  him,  and  aiming  a 
musket  at  his  figure  as  often  as  possible. 

"  We  shall  be  overwhelmed  before  we  can  return 
to  the  city,"  said  Teotlili,  after  a  little  while.  "  They 
sail  so  swiftly  that  even  we  cannot  get  away.  I 
fear  that  all  will  perish." 

"  Then  let  us  strike  off  this  course  and  make  for 
the  northern  shore,"  exclaimed  Roger,  standing  to 
his  full  height  and  surveying  the  terrifying  scene. 
"  We  have  drifted  close  in  there  during  the  battle, 
and  a  half-hour's  run  will  take  us  to  the  land.  There 
we  can  desert  the  canoes  and  make  overland  to  the 
city,  Better  that  than  see  all  perish." 

It  was,  in  fact,  the  only  means  of  saving  the 
occupants  of  the  Mexican  fleet,  which  had  put  out 
with  such  confidence  from  the  city,  and  at  a  signal 
from  Teotlili  all  turned  their  prows  towards  the 
shore.  And  now,  for  the  very  first  time  on  this 
disastrous  day,  fortune  smiled  upon  the  Mexicans. 
For  it  happened  that  the  shore  on  this  northern  side 
of  the  lake  shelved  very  gradually — so  much  so  that 
within  a  little  while  the  fleet  was  fleeing  over  a  por- 
tion of  the  lake  where  the  water  was  very  shallow. 
The  brigantines  came  after  them  at  their  swiftest 
pace,  till  the  foremost  came  to  a  gradual  stop,  and 
remained  fixed  in  the  mud.  Then  the  others  lay  to, 
firing  with  their  guns. 

326 


A   Fleet  of  Brigantines 

"  Had  all  gone  ashore  we  should  have  had  them 
at  our  mercy,"  said  Roger,  in  tones  of  vexation. 
"  But  the  attempt  would  be  useless  now.  They  can 
lie  off  within  easy  range,  and  we  should  lose  heavily. 
Better  make  the  best  of  our  way  home." 

"And  comfort  ourselves  with  the  thought  that 
we  have  made  a  brave  attempt,  and  that  we  have 
aided  in  the  destruction  of  one  of  the  vessels," 
answered  Teotlili.  "  My  lord  must  not  be  down- 
hearted. These  men  who  have  died  on  the  lake 
to-day  have  done  service  to  Mexico,  for  we  cannot 
always  win.  We  have  opposed  an  enemy  of  whom 
we  were  afraid  in  former  times,  and  we  have  shown 
our  men  that  by  using  strategy  we  can  capture 
vessels.  May  the  opportunity  not  occur  later  for 
a  second  attack  ?  Surely  it  will  be  possible,  with 
the  knowledge  gained  this  day,  to  organize  an 
attempt  on  another  occasion.  We  can  lay  an  am- 
bush for  the  Spaniards  on  the  water,  and  perhaps 
take  all  these  brigantines.  Let  my  lord  consider 
that,  and  think  of  the  future  rather  than  of  what  has 
just  happened." 

The  noble  laid  his  hand  on  Roger's  shoulder,  for 
he  saw  that  the  latter  was  troubled  and  depressed 
at  the  defeat  suffered  by  the  fleet.  And  who  can 
blame  Roger  for  feeling  so  ?  The  whole  responsi- 
bility of  the  affair  rested  on  his  shoulders,  and  as 
he  made  for  the  shore  he  asked  himself  over  and 
over  again  whether  he  had  not  been  rash — mad, 
indeed — to  make  such  an  attempt. 

"  It  might  have  succeeded,"  he  said  at  length. 
"  Had  the  wind  not  risen  we  could  have  surrounded 
the  fleet  of  brigantines,  and  they  would  have  been 
overwhelmed.  Yes,  the  attempt  was  justifiable,  and 

327 


Roger  the  Bold 


its  non-success  is  no  fault  of  ours.  Circumstances 
were  too  strong  for  us.  And,  as  Teotlili  says,  the 
knowledge  we  have  gained  will  prove  useful,  for 
we  will  lay  a  trap  for  the  enemy." 

His  mind  at  once  became  occupied  with  the 
thought,  and  so  interested  was  he  that  he  hardly 
noticed  when  the  canoes  reached  the  land. 

"  We  are  as  close  as  we  can  get  now,"  said  Teo- 
tlili, touching  him  on  the  arm.  "  We  had  better  wade 
ashore  and  run  to  the  city,  for  their  horsemen  might 
attempt  to  cut  us  off.  Hark !  I  hear  sounds  of 
fighting.'v 

They  stood  up  in  the  canoe  and  listened,  the 
noise  of  some  conflict  coming  to  their  ears. 

"  The  first  attack  on  the  causeways,"  said  Roger. 
"  We  need  have  no  fear  of  the  enemy  breaking  in 
while  we  are  absent.  But  we  had  better  run,  for, 
as  you  say,  the  Spaniards  might  send  out  their  horse 
to  cut  us  off.  Let  the  men  keep  together." 

They  stepped  into  the  water,  and  waded  across 
the  mud-flats  till  they  reached  dry  ground,  the 
Mexicans  dragging  their  canoes  after  them.  Then 
all  set  their  faces  toward  Mexico,  where  they  arrived 
within  half  an  hour.  They  found  each  of  the  three 
Spanish  divisions  hotly  engaged  on  the  causeways, 
and  hastened  at  once  to  aid  in  the  defence,  the 
arrival  of  Roger  being  hailed  with  loud  shouts  of 
triumph. 

"The  cacique  has  come,"  the  men  bellowed  to 
one  another.  "  Here  is  the  fighting  chief  who  has 
promised  to  lead  us.  We  will  show  these  Spaniards 
what, we  can  do." 

Men  rushed  out  and  picked  the  young  giant  up 
in  their  arms.  Then  he  was  borne  to  the  main 

328 


A  Fleet  of  Brigantines 

causeway,  to  where  the  King  of  Mexico  was  sta- 
tioned. 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  have  come,"  said  the  latter, 
grasping  his  hand  warmly.  "  I  am  lost  without 
you.  You  know  these  men  against  whom  we  fight, 
and  you  are  able  to  meet  their  strategy  with  methods 
which  are  new  to  us.  Come  to  the  edge  of  the  breach 
and  see  what  is  happening." 

They  walked  along  the  causeway  to  that  part 
which  faced  the  far  shore,  and  was  within  a  stone's 
throw  of  it.  A  wide  breach  had  been  made,  on  the 
near  side  of  which  the  Mexican  crossbow-men  were 
posted,  while  on  the  far  side  stood  the  Spaniards, 
baulked  for  the  moment,  and  viciously  plying  the 
defenders  with  a  hail  of  shot  and  cannon-ball.  The 
attack  had  commenced,  in  fact — an  attack  which  was 
to  develop,  and  which  was  to  be  of  unparalleled 
ferocity. 


3*9 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
The  Defence  of  the  Causeways 


siege  of  Mexico  had  commenced  in  earnest, 
for  now  that  the  fleet  of  canoes  had  been 
scattered  or  sent  to  the  bottom,  the  brigantines 
closed  in  on  the  fair  city  which  lay  on  the  bosom  of 
the  lake,  till  the  long,  straight  causeway  stretching 
north  and  south  prevented  further  progress.  And 
there  the  cannon  were  turned  upon  the  defenders 
who  manned  the  wide  strip  of  masonry,  while  from 
the  farther  side  of  the  breach  other  cannon  belched 
forth  shot  at  them.  But  this  was  not  all.  At  two 
other  and  separate  points  the  Spaniards  had  made 
an  incursion  on  to  the  causeways,  all  of  which  led  to 
the  city,  so  that  three  parties  of  Mexicans  were  kept 
engaged,  and  their  whole  force  posted  on  the  main 
portion  of  the  viaduct  was  exposed  to  the  flanking 
fire  of  the  brigantines. 

Cortes  had  shown  again  and  again  how  astute 
he  was.  The  reader  will  have  gathered  already 
that  he  was  a  man  of  unusual  determination,  tena- 
cious of  his  purpose  even  to  the  verge  of  reckless- 
ness, for  otherwise  he  would  have  retired  long  ago. 
Indeed,  there  is  little  doubt  that  had  he  not  been 
there  Mexico  would  have  survived.  And  more  than 
that.  Had  Cortes  been  in  the  full  favour  of  those  in 

330 


The  Defence  of  the  Causeways 

authority  in  Cuba  and  in  Spain,  the  need  for  some 
special  effort  would  have  been  absent,  and  his  de- 
termination to  subjugate  these  people  probably  less. 
However,  during  the  whole  course  of  his  operations 
before  the  city  he  showed  unusual  forethought,  and 
conducted  the  siege  in  a  masterly  manner.  Indeed, 
the  conduct  of  this  gallant  Fernando  Cortes  from 
the  very  beginning  marked  him  out  as  a  commander 
of  unusual  power  and  distinction ;  for  who  else 
would  have  dared  to  defy  the  authorities,  to  capture 
those  sent  out  to  take  the  command  from  him,  and 
suborn  their  followers,  and  finally  to  dictate  formal 
letters  to  the  Regent  in  Spain,  as  if  he  still  held  the 
royal  command  to  lead  this  expedition  ? 

And  now  that  the  task  of  subjugating  the  people 
of  Mexico  faced  him  he  set  about  the  work  in  a 
manner  which  showed  the  thoughtful,  careful  leader ; 
for  the  reader  will  remember  that  he  had  arranged 
for  the  building  of  the  brigantines  months  before, 
and  had  meanwhile  spent  his  time  and  his  powers 
in  bringing  other  native  tribes  under  the  sway  of 
Spain,  and  in  gaining  allies  who  would  aid  in  the 
attack  on  Mexico.  That  attack  had  commenced. 
Mexico  was  face  to  face  with  a  formidable  fleet  on 
the  lake  side,  while  three  of  her  main  causeways 
were  occupied  by  the  mixed  forces  under  Cortes' 
command. 

"  They  fight  fiercely  and  as  if  they  were  certain  of 
defeating  us,"  said  the  king,  as  Roger  came  to  his 
side,  and  the  two  stood  watching  the  combatants. 
"  These  Spaniards  have  sent  their  shot  across  the 
gap  continually,  and  our  men  are  struck  down. 
Meanwhile  the  enemy  fill  up  the  gap  so  that  they 
may  cross." 

m 


Roger  the   Bold 


"  This  is  their  first  day  at  the  work,"  answered 
our  hero,  "  and  therefore  the  attackers  are  fresh  and 
eager.  But  we  will  alter  that.  As  for  the  cannon- 
shot,  the  men  must  be  told  to  build  their  barricade 
higher." 

A  few  words  from  the  king  set  the  natives  at 
work,  and  very  soon  such  a  pile  of  bricks  and 
dtbris  was  thrown  at  the  edge  of  the  gap  that  the 
Spanish  shot  buried  themselves  in  the  wall  without 
doing  harm.  At  the  same  time  their  crossbow-men 
and  their  musketeers  kept  up  a  scathing  fire  to 
which  the  Mexicans  made  reply. 

"  They  will  succeed  in  filling  up  the  gap,"  said 
Roger,  after  he  had  watched  for  a  little  while,  "  and 
we  must  fall  back.  But  we  have  a  dozen  more  of 
the  gaps  to  defend  before  we  come  to  the  city,  and 
shall  hope  to  tire  them  out.  Look !  There  come 
the  brigantines.  We  shall  have  to  beat  a  retreat 
very  soon." 

He  pointed  out  into  the  lake,  and  there  came  the 
brigantines,  sailing  in  toward  the  city  proudly,  as  if 
conscious  of  their  victory.  They  brought  to  within 
a  long  bow-shot,  and  before  coming  to  the  piles 
which  the  Mexicans  had  taken  the  trouble  to  drive 
in  all  directions  close  to  the  causeway,  thus  showing 
that  their  spies  had  obtained  information  for  them. 
Then  their  guns  opened,  and  a  murderous  discharge 
belched  forth  at  the  defenders  of  the  causeway. 
The  shot  crashed  against  the  masonry,  or  tore  lanes 
through  the  unfortunate  natives,  killing  and  maiming 
huge  numbers.  At  the  same  moment  the  guns  on 
the  far  side  of  the  gap  opened  upon  the  barricade, 
demolishing  the  upper  parts. 

"We  must  retire  at  once,"  said  Roger.     "We 

332 


The  Defence  of  the  Causeways 

will  recall  the  men  to  the  next  wall  and  make  better 
preparations.  Come,  let  us  be  going.  To  remain 
is  to  throw  our  lives  away." 

There  was  a  shrill  whistle,  and  the  natives  began 
to  retire,  crossing  the  next  gap  by  means  of  planks 
left  for  that  purpose.  Then  they  set  to  work  to 
raise  their  barricade  with  bricks,  women  and  children 
bringing  the  latter,  while  an  attempt  was  made  to 
obtain  cover  on  the  lake  side. 

"  We  must  do  something  to  drive  off  the  brigan- 
tines,"  said  Roger,  as  he  stood  watching  the  men  at 
work,  and  listened  to  the  loud  crashes  in  the  dis- 
tance, the  sounds  made  by  the  attackers  as  they 
filled  in  the  gap.  "  Come,  Philip,  or  you  Peter 
Tamworth,  have  you  nothing  to  suggest  ?  How  can 
we  keep  them  at  a  safer  distance  ?  They  take  us 
in  flank  with  their  fire,  and  while  their  ammunition 
lasts  we  are  helpless.  We  must  drive  them  off  or 
relinquish  the  causeway." 

This,  in  fact,  was  obvious  to  all,  for  the  brigan- 
tines  had  matters  in  their  own  hands.  There  was 
nothing  to  keep  them  from  the  outer  face  of  the 
causeway  save  the  piles  which  had  been  driven 
there,  and  those  could  only  be  placed  in  the  shal- 
lower parts,  for  long  timber  was  not  obtainable. 
Consequently  the  ships  which  the  crafty  Cortes  had 
caused  to  be  built  could  sail  along  the  causeway 
ahead  of  his  troops  who  were  attacking  it,  and  could 
take  the  Mexicans  in  flank  and  in  rear.  No  one 
could  stand  there  against  their  shot.  No  wonder 
that  the  king  of  Mexico  and  Teotlili  looked  at  Roger 
in  dismay,  and  that  the  latter  stood  to  his  full  height, 
looking  back  along  the  causeway  with  a  frown  on 
his  sunburned  face. 

333 


Roger  the  Bold 


"  If  they  were  in  the  ocean "  commenced 

Peter,  shuffling  from  one  leg  to  the  other,  for  the 
presence  of  royalty  always  unsettled  him,  and  he 
was  beginning  to  have  a  huge  respect  for  Roger. 

"  The  brigantines,  you  mean  ?  But  they  are  here, 
in  the  lake.  What  then  ?  " 

"  If  they  were  at  sea,  I  should  try  a  plan  to  turn 
them  out,"  said  Peter,  somewhat  abashed.  "  They 
would  fly  if  there  was  fire,  and,  master  Roger,  there 
might  be  fire  here.  We  could  float  a  canoe,  one  of 
the  big  ones,  down  upon  them,  and  that  would  send 
them  running." 

"  And  they  are  close  enough  to  be  taken  before 
they  could  get  clear,"  burst  in  Philip.  "  In  the 
confusion  some  might  become  entangled,  and 
then " 

"  We  would  send  our  canoes  against  them,"  ex- 
claimed Roger.  "  'Tis  a  grand  idea,  and  we  will  see 
what  can  be  done.  I  will  speak  to  Teotlili." 

"  We  have  resin  here  in  abundance,"  said  the 
latter,  when  the  question  was  put  to  him,  "  and  there 
are  other  inflammable  matters.  The  plan  may  well 
be  tried,  and  may  succeed  at  first.  But  they  will 
not  be  caught  twice.  Later  on  the  houses  will 
protect  us." 

He  went  off  at  once  to  make  arrangements,  and 
his  men  worked  with  such  energy  that  when  the 
Spaniards  had  contrived  to  fill  in  the  far  gap,  and 
were  preparing  to  advance  again,  a  couple  of  craft 
composed  of  three  canoes  lashed  together,  lay  in 
recesses  beneath  the  causeway,  their  boards  piled 
high  with  resin  and  other  matters. 

"  And  now  comes  the  question  of  who  is  to  take 
command,"  said  Roger.  "  These  natives  are  so 

334 


The  Defence  of  the  Causeways 

terrified  at  the  sound  of  the  cannon  that  they  will 
hardly  fill  the  post.  I  will  gladly  take  one  canoe." 

"And  I  a  second,"  burst  in  Philip.  "But  you 
should  not  go,  Roger,  if  you  will  forgive  my  saying 
so.  You  are  the  commander  here.  The  king  and 
all  look  to  you,  and  already  you  have  had  one  narrow 
escape.  You  are  too  valuable  to  the  defence,  and 
should  protect  your  life  as  long  as  possible.  I  will 
go  for  one." 

"  And  by  your  leave  I  will  sail  the  second,"  ex- 
claimed Peter,  all  aglow  at  the  prospect.  "  There 
is  little  to  do.  We  must  push  out,  and  pole  along 
gently.  Then,  as  we  get  to  close  quarters,  we  will 
fire  the  mass  and  leap  overboard." 

"  Then  it  shall  be  arranged  as  you  say.  I  will 
stay  behind  and  will  lead  the  attack.  It  is  already 
getting  dusk,  and  perhaps,  if  we  delay  a  little,  you 
will  be  able  to  get  out  to  the  brigantines  without 
being  seen.  If  that  is  the  case  we  may  do 
them  some  damage.  I  will  have  men  armed  with 
the  crossbow  in  canoes,  ready  to  take  advantage  of 
the  confusion.  Go  to  your  places  and  prepare.  I 
will  send  to  you  when  the  moment  comes." 

He  dismissed  them  with  a  nod,  and  went  to  the 
barricade  erected  on  the  causeway.  Like  that  at 
the  last  gap,  it  consisted  of  sun-dried  bricks,  and 
was  so  thick  that  it  offered  an  effective  resistance 
to  the  cannon-shot  of  the  enemy.  On  its  landward 
side  there  was  a  gaping  chasm  where  the  causeway 
had  been  entirely  removed,  and  this  the  enemy  now 
proceeded  to  fill,  just  as  they  had  done  in  the  case  of 
the  other  one.  Thanks  to  the  huge  amount  of  native 
labour  which  their  allies  provided,  there  was  no 
difficulty  about  the  matter,  and  for  material  there 

336 


Roger  the   Bold 


was  the  stone  and  bricks  from  the  houses  and  forts 
built  at  the  extreme  land  end  of  the  viaduct  Already 
the  Spanish  allies  had  levelled  these,  and  now  they 
came  in  their  thousands,  each  carrying  a  boulder, 
a  beam,  or  some  dozen  bricks,  which  they  threw 
into  the  gap.  While  they  worked,  the  soldiers  kept 
up  a  furious  fire  against  the  barricade  beyond,  while 
their  crossbow-men  sent  shafts  humming  through 
the  air.  Then  the  brigantines  hove  up  the  stone 
anchors  which  each  had  cast,  and  poling  higher  up, 
dropped  anchor  in  a  position  which  gave  them  a 
clear  and  close  range. 

"  Let  the  crossbow-men  alone  stand  behind  the 
barricade  and  pick  off  the  enemy  and  hamper  the 
work  of  filling  in  the  ditch,"  cried  Roger,  calling 
Teotlili's  attention.  "The  others  are  to  throw 
themselves  on  their  faces,  and  in  that  way  they  will 
escape  the  shot  from  the  brigantines." 

The  warning  came  none  too  soon,  for  hardly  had 
he  spoken,  and  the  natives  obeyed  the  command  of 
the  noble,  than  the  ships  opened  fire,  and  a  hail  of 
small  shot  and  cannon-balls  struck  the  side  of  the 
causeway  and  plunged  over  it.  Some  struck  the 
protection  of  bricks  thrown  up  on  that  side,  and 
dashed  the  bricks  over  on  to  the  defenders.  But 
none  were  seriously  hurt,  while  all  escaped  the 
bullets.  A  shout  of  derision  arose,  the  Mexicans 
whistling  and  screaming  aloud  with  delight. 

"  Tis  the  first  time  that  they  have  escaped  so 
easily,"  said  Teotlili.  "  My  lord  is  full  of  methods 
to  circumvent  the  enemy.  A  little  while  ago  we 
stood  bunched  close  together  and  waited  death. 
These  cruel  guns  slew  us  by  tens  and  twenties, 
and  cut  deep  lines  in  our  ranks.  We  were  robbed 


The  Defence  of  the  Causeways 

of  our  strength,  and  could  not  move  hand  or  foot  to 
escape ;  but  now  we  are  learning.  It  is  possible  to 
avoid  death,  and  to  save  our  lives  for  better  work. 
Ah !  the  crash  of  the  explosion  is  stunning.  Even 
now  I  start  and  feel  that  I  must  fall." 

"  After  all  there  is  little  more  than  the  noise  to 
alarm  one,"  said  Roger  with  a  smile,  showing 
wonderful  coolness,  which  did  not  escape  the 
Mexican  noble.  "  Of  course  a  ball  might  come  and 
kill  one  while  one  crouched ;  but  the  wall  makes 
their  aim  difficult,  while  those  in  front  can  do 
nothing.  That  was  close,  Teotlili.  A  little  to  the 
right  and  it  would  have  mattered  little  to  you  or  to 
me  how  the  siege  went." 

"  It  would  always  matter,"  was  the  stern  answer. 
"Even  were  1  killed  I  think  that  I  should  still 
trouble.  I  could  never  sleep  the  long  sleep  know- 
ing that  these  strange  men  were  killing  and  hunting 
my  countrymen.  The  place  and  the  people  are 
dear  to  me,  my  lord.  I  live  for  them  only." 

"  And  you  would  die  for  them  cheerfully  ?  "  asked 
Roger. 

"  Surely  I  would.  I  would  gladly  suffer  death 
on  the  swords  of  these  men  so  that  my  king  might 
escape.  But  listen,  Roger.  Should  it  happen  that 
our  king  is  slain,  you  will  take  the  post  ?  Promise 
me  that  ?  All  are  willing  that  you  should  succeed 
him,  for  without  a  leader  we  should  be  easily 
defeated.  Promise  me  ?  " 

The  noble  turned  to  Roger  and  looked  him 
eagerly  in  the  face,  while  Roger  watched  the 
brigantines.  He  their  king!  He,  a  simple  cross- 
bow-man but  a  few  weeks  ago,  to  be  asked  to 
accept  such  a  post!  It  was  beyond  belief!  Then 

(B  686)  337  Y 


Roger  the   Bold 


he  reflected  on  the  faith  which  these  simple  people 
had  in  him,  and  thought  of  the  times. 

"  I  will  act  as  king  till  the  siege  is  raised,  or  till  we 
are  defeated,"  he  answered  ;  "  that  is,  if  the  present 
king  be  killed,  which  God  forbid.  Till  then  I  will 
remain  as  your  cacique,  and  will  lead  the  fighting 
men.  But  we  must  look  to  the  defence.  It  gets  dusk. 
A  little  while  and  our  fire  canoes  may  be  of  service." 

He  crept  to  the  barricade,  and  looked  across  at 
the  Spaniards.  They  were  still  maintaining  a  fierce 
fire  with  their  guns,  though  they  had  withdrawn  the 
weapons  to  a  safer  distance ;  for  the  crossbow-men 
on  the  Mexican  side  had  already  made  a  vast  im- 
pression, and  had  taught  the  enemy  the  advisability 
of  using  discretion.  As  for  their  own  musketeers 
and  crossbow-men,  they  had  retired  altogether. 
Only  the  native  allies  came  within  range,  carrying 
their  burdens,  and  amongst  their  ranks  the  Mexican 
shafts  created  havoc. 

"  But  we  do  not  stop  them,"  reflected  Roger ; 
"  there  are  so  many  of  them  that  the  death  of  a  few 
hundred  seems  not  to  matter.  The  gap  will  soon 
be  filled ;  by  then  it  will  be  dusk." 

He  waited  eagerly,  noting  that  the  gap  was 
now  practically  bridged  across,  though  there  still 
remained  a  strip  close  under  the  barricade  which 
the  allies  had  not  yet  reached. 

"  Have  planks  ready  at  hand,"  he  said,  suddenly 
turning  to  Teotlili,  who  was  ever  at  his  elbow. 
"  Ah,  Tamba,  take  charge  of  one  and  be  ready. 
When  I  give  the  signal,  leap  the  barricade  and 
place  the  beam  in  position.  Then  let  all  the  spear- 
men and  those  who  have  swords  follow  me.  We 
will  teach  these  invaders  a  lesson." 

338 


The   Defence  of  the  Causeways 

It  was  anxious  work  waiting  there,  with  the  guns 
of  the  brigantine  playing  on  the  causeway,  and  their 
shot  swishing  overhead.  But  Roger  would  not  be 
hurried.  The  ditch  on  the  far  side  was  not  yet  filled, 
and  it  was  still  too  light.  Ten  minutes  would  make 
a  difference,  he  told  himself,  and  though  his  inclina- 
tion was  to  shout  now  without  further  delay,  and 
throw  his  men  on  the  enemy,  he  held  back,  showing 
thereby  the  qualities  possessed  by  few  leaders.  He 
waited  till  the  time  had  actually  arrived.  Then  his 
messenger  flew  to  Philip  and  to  Peter,  and  very 
soon  two  dark  objects,  each  propelled  by  a  couple 
of  long  poles  wielded  by  the  Englishmen  and  by  a 
single  native  helper,  emerged  from  the  causeway 
from  one  of  the  numerous  archways,  and  .  went 
swiftly  towards  the  brigantines.  At  first  their 
sudden  presence  caused  no  comment  from  the 
enemy;  for  all  through  the  contest  canoes  had 
darted  from  the  recesses,  and  efforts  had  been 
made,  sometimes  with  success,  to  pull  down  the 
native  allies  from  the  farther  side  of  the  gap 
with  the  hooks  which  were  attached  to  poles.  It 
was  therefore  not  until  the  larger  craft  had  shot 
out  from  the  causeway  and  moved  some  little  way 
towards  the  brigantines  that  the  attention  of  the 
Spaniards  was  attracted  to  them.  Then  there  was 
a  shout. 

"Some  of  the  natives  seeking  death,"  shouted 
one  of  the  captains,  derisively.  "  Leave  them  to  the 
muskets  or  to  our  pikes ;  or  better,  heave  a  stone 
into  them  as  they  come  alongside." 

"What  if  they  are  dangerous?  I've  seen  and 
had  to  fly  from  simpler  craft  before,"  answered  an 
old  seaman,  with  a  growl.  "  What  if  they're  filled 


Roger  the  Bold 


with  things  that  will  take  fire  ?  What  if  these  craft 
are  fire-craft  sent  to  destroy  us  ?  " 

The  suggestion  caused  the  captain  to  open  his 
mouth,  and  he  went  along  the  deck,  at  a  run  to  where 
the  gunners  stood. 

"  Train  your  pieces  on  them,"  he  shouted  in  his 
excitement.  "  They  are  fire-ships,  and  we  shall  be 
burned.  Stop  them  with  a  shot.  Come  !  Move 
aside  and  let  me  take  the  task  in  hand." 

They  threw  themselves  on  the  cannon,  while  the 
alarm  spread  to  the  other  vessels.  Meanwhile 
Philip  and  Peter  poled  for  their  lives,  sending  the 
craft  swiftly  across  the  water.  And  as  they  poled 
Roger  and  the  defenders  watched  them  eagerly. 

"  They  have  not  yet  noticed  the  commotion  on 
the  far  side  of  the  gap,"  he  said  to  Teotlili.  "  But 
they  will  see  that  there  is  something  wrong  soon, 
and  then " 

"  They  see  now,  my  lord.  Listen  to  their  shouts. 
And  they  are  turning  their  guns  away  from  us  to 
the  canoes.  Will  they  hit  them  ?" 

"  More  likely  to  strike  friend  than  foe,"  was  the 
reassuring  answer.  "  Ah  !  That  shot  would  have 
sunk  a  single  canoe  with  the  wash  it  caused.  Philip 
is  lighting  up." 

It  was  still  sufficiently  light  to  enable  those  on 
the  causeway  to  see  what  was  passing,  and  Roger 
distinctly  noticed  Philip  stand  erect,  and  lift  his 
pole  into  the  canoe.  Then  there  was  a  glow  from 
the  smouldering  match  he  carried,  followed  by  a 
burst  of  smoke,  and  then  by  a  leaping  flame  which 
seemed  to  spread  all  over  the  craft.  No !  Not  all 
over,  for  there  was  Philip  at  the  stern,  surrounded 
by  flame,  it  seemed,  and  still  poling  towards  the 

340 


The  Defence  of  the  Causeways 

enemy.  As  for  Peter,  a  shot  fired  from  the  nearest 
brigantine  had  struck  the  water  within  a  foot  of 
him,  and  as  Roger  had  said,  had  well-nigh  swamped 
his  frail  boat.  However,  he  was  unhurt,  and  follow- 
ing Philip's  example,  struck  his  match  and  then  poled 
the  flaming  craft  towards  the  brigantines.  Fierce 
shouts  resounded  on  every  side,  while  aboard  the 
brigantines  there  was  the  utmost  confusion.  Men 
raced  up  and  down  the  decks,  while  the  crews  were 
called  to  the  anchors.  Some  endeavoured  to  handle 
the  pieces.  But  none  were  fashioned  to  be  rapidly 
depressed,  and  so  it  happened  that  not  a  single  shot 
struck  the  fire-craft.  Nor  did  those  who  held  the 
muskets  help  in  the  matter,  for  they  too  were  taken 
with  a  panic.  They  threw  down  their  weapons  and 
helped  at  the  anchor,  or  seized  the  long  poles  and 
endeavoured  to  push  the  vessel  away  into  the  lake. 
Thud !  The  canoe  in  which  stood  Philip  struck 
the  side  of  the  nearest  brigantine,  and  Roger  saw 
the  young  Englishman  coolly  grapple  the  rail 
with  the  hook  with  which  his  pole  was  armed. 
Then  he  beckoned  to  the  native,  and  handing  him 
the  pole,  drew  his  sword.  In  another  moment  he 
had  sprung  aboard,  and  the  last  that  Roger  saw  of 
him  he  was  slashing  furiously  at  the  enemy,  while 
the  native,  clinging  to  the  fire-craft  till  he  was 
scorched,  kept  it  close  to  the  enemy's  vessel  till  it 
had  caught  fire.  Then  he  called  loudly  to  Philip, 
and  waiting  till  the  latter  had  leaped  into  the  water, 
disappeared  in  the  same  himself.  Peter  had  equal 
luck,  and  showed  the  same  pluck  and  determination. 
Indeed,  within  five  minutes  two  of  the  brigantines 
were  in  flames  from  end  to  end,  for  they  were  con- 
structed of  a  highly  inflammable  wood,  while  their 

341 


Roger  the   Bold 


crews  were  plunging  overboard  in  frantic  alarm. 
As  for  the  others,  they  cut  away  from  their  anchor- 
age and  poled  into  deep  water,  their  crews  aghast  at 
the  boldness  and  the  success  of  the  Mexicans.  On 
the  far  side  of  the  gap  the  Spaniards  could  hardly 
believe  their  eyes.  They  stared  at  the  blazing 
vessels,  forgetting  their  own  particular  portion  of 
the  conflict.  It  was  an  opportunity,  and  Roger 
seized  upon  it. 

"The  plank, Tamba," he  shouted.  "Now  follow, 
every  one,  and  sweep  them  from  the  causeway." 

He  leaped  upon  the  top  of  the  barricade,  his  tall 
figure  standing  out  finely  against  the  glare  of  the 
blazing  vessels.  Then,  as  Tamba  placed  the  plank 
in  position,  he  ran  across  it,  and  threw  himself  alone 
upon  the  Spaniards. 

"  Ah !  A  sortie !  The  dog  of  an  English  giant !  " 
shouted  their  leader,  who  happened  to  be  nearest. 
"  Rally  men !  To  the  gap !  Hold  the  cause- 
way!" 

His  sword  leaped  to  the  front,  and  he  made  a 
thrust  at  Roger,  which  might  well  have  transfixed 
him.  But  Roger  had  not  experienced  all  this  fighting 
for  nothing.  He  put  the  thrust  aside  with  a  swift 
movement,  and  returned  the  blow  with  a  terrific  cut 
which  fell  full  upon  the  Spaniard's  helmet.  There 
was  the  noise  of  rending  steel,  the  Spaniard  gasped 
and  let  his  sword  fall  with  a  clatter.  Then  he  pitched 
forward  on  to  the  causeway,  and  happening  to 
tumble  into  a  portion  of  the  gap  which  had  been 
only  partially  filled,  and  which  sloped  steeply,  he 
slid,  an  inert  mass,  down  the  slope,  and  disappeared 
in  the  lake. 

"  Rally !     Rally  !     Men  of  Mexico.     Your  leader 

342 


The  Defence  of  the  Causeways 

is  here.  Forward,  and  drive  the  enemy  !  Forward, 
till  we  reach  their  camp  !  " 

It  was  Teotlili  who  took  up  the  shout,  and  voiced 
it  to  the  pitch  of  his  lungs.  Not  that  the  Mexicans 
needed  encouragement,  for  their  excitement  was 
great,  and  their  spirits  raised  to  the  utmost  pitch  by 
the  success  of  the  fire-ships.  They  shouted  lustily, 
and  then,  to  the  accompaniment  of  shouts  and  shrill 
whistles  came  over  the  barricade  like  a  swarm  of 
bees,  and  hurled  themselves  against  the  Spaniards. 
And  now  numbers  and  the  suddenness  of  the  sortie 
told  in  their  favour;  for  whereas  formerly  those 
armed  with  the  native  sword  had  been  practically 
helpless  in  the  face  of  the  Spanish  swordsmen,  now 
the  rush  carried  all  before  the  Mexicans.  The 
Spaniards  broke  and  fled,  Roger  and  his  men  in  hot 
pursuit. 

"To  their  camp  !  To  their  camp!  "he  shouted. 
Then  seeing  Teotlili,  he  urged  his  way  toward  him, 
the  Mexicans  making  a  path  at  once. 

"  The  guns  and  the  ammunition,"  he  said.  "  Tell 
off  men  to  take  them  into  the  city.  They  will  be 
useful.  We  must  have  them." 

He  went  on  at  a  run  till  he  and  his  men  were  in 
the  camp,  which  had  been  formed  close  to  the  edge 
of  the  causeway.  But  here  the  enemy  rallied,  while 
a  strong  force  came  to  their  aid.  It  was  time  to 
retire,  and  Roger  whistled.  Then  he  waved  his 
arm. 

"  Back  to  the  barricade,"  he  shouted.  "  Run  ! 
Run!" 

The  retirement  was  carried  out  swiftly,  so  swiftly, 
in  fact,  that  the  Spaniards  were  dumfounded.  They 
were  preparing  to  hold  their  camp  and  administer 

343 


Roger  the   Bold 


punishment,  when  suddenly  the  attackers  dis- 
appeared as  quickly  as  they  had  come,  carrying 
with  them  two  cannon  and  a  small  supply  of  ammu- 
nition. 

"Tis  the  English  dog's  leading,"  said  Cortes, 
with  a  growl,  as  he  looked  out  at  the  lake  and 
watched  the  blazing  vessels.  "  Well  is  it  for  us 
that  I  had  a  fleet  constructed.  This  man  must  be 
slain.  Would  that  I  had  hanged  him  that  very  night 
instead  of  keeping  him  till  the  morrow.  And  that 
led  to  the  freedom  of  all  his  friends.  They  say  these 
Englishmen  are  dogged  fighters,  who  battle  with 
their  heads  as  well  as  with  their  arms.  We  shall 
see,  we  shall  see.  But  if  I  catch  them !  " 

No  doubt  he  would  have  hanged  them  at  once, 
and  there  was  much  cause  for  his  vexation.  Indeed, 
when  the  tale  of  the  sortie  was  completed,  and  his 
losses  known,  the  leader  of  the  invaders  ground  his 
teeth  with  anger. 

"  But  it  will  not  occur  again,"  he  said  to  himself. 
"There  will  be  no  more  fire-ships,  and  no  more 
sorties.  I  will  double  the  guards,  while  the  brigan- 
tines  will  never  anchor.  Thus  they  will  be  able  to 
slip  away  on  the  instant." 

Roger  and  the  Mexicans  had  indeed  retrieved 
their  defeat  of  the  morning,  and  had  caused  great 
loss  to  the  enemy ;  for  they  had  destroyed  three  of 
the  brigantines,  and  had  killed  many  of  the  Spanish 
soldiers  and  sailors,  a  loss  which  Fernando  Cortes 
could  not  easily  replace.  But  it  could  not  always  be 
so,  as  they  discovered  in  the  course  of  the  next  few 
weeks ;  for  the  besiegers  attacked  in  three  separate 
parties  every  day,  and  the  causeways  rang  with  the 
sound  of  strife.  Gaps  which  had  been  diligently 

344 


The  Defence  of  the  Causeways 

constructed  were  filled  in  one  by  one,  while,  finding 
that  the  enemy  repaired  their  losses  and  remade 
the  gaps  during  the  night,  there  being  ample 
labour,  Cortes  caused  his  men  to  camp  on  the  ground 
they  had  won,  till  that  portion  of  the  causeways 
which  had  fallen  to  the  three  parties  presented  a 
curious  scene.  Tiny  huts  were  constructed  along 
them,  where  the  enemy  lived. 

By  now  another  enemy  was  attacking  the  be- 
sieged. Starvation  stared  them  in  the  face,  for  the 
brigantines  prevented  a  fresh  supply  of  provisions 
from  being  brought  to  the  city.  The  water  in  the 
tanks  was  very  low,  and  pestilence,  the  accompani- 
ment of  every  siege  and  every  campaign,  stalked 
through  the  city.  Men  and  women  and  children 
died  by  the  score,  till  there  were  none  to  bury  them. 
But  still  the  gallant  resistance  was  continued. 

"  Not  till  the  city  is  in  ruins  and  the  last  man 
slain  shall  we  give  way,"  said  Teotlili.  "  In  these 
matters  the  priests  rule  the  king,  and  that  is  their 
decision.  If  it  were  not  so,  I  should  say  the  same. 
What  sort  of  life  awaits  us  if  we  are  beaten  and  live  ? 
Slavery,  and  torture.  Yes,  Tamba  has  told  me  the 
tale  of  Cuba,  and  that  is  what  will  happen  here- 
These  foolish  native  allies  who  have  gone  over  to 
the  Spaniards  are  but  helping  in  their  own  ruin,  for 
they,  too,  will  be  trampled  underfoot.  They  will  be 
hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water  to  these  men 
who  attack  us.  We  will  die  at  our  posts.  That  is 
our  last  word." 

The  decision  was,  in  fact,  adhered  to  firmly, 
though,  as  the  siege  closed  in  and  want  and  pesti- 
lence did  its  work,  Cortes  endeavoured  time  and 
again  to  alter  it,  and  to  induce  the  Mexicans  to 

345 


Roger  the   Bold 

capitulate.  Nothing  but  defeat  of  the  last  man  would 
end  the  struggle,  and  therefore  he  set  his  parties  to 
their  task  again.  A  huge  effort  was  made  to  com- 
plete the  junction  of  the  three  divisions,  and  we 
shall  see  how  Cortes  fared,  and  how  the  Mexicans 
struggled  to  prevent  the  junction. 


Alvarez  probes  the  Secret 

IT  was  early  morning,  and  a  brilliant  sun  threw 
slanting  rays  across  the  dancing  waters  of  the 
great  lake  and  across  the  picturesque  buildings  of 
the  fairy-like  city  of  Mexico.  From  the  summits  of 
a  hundred  sacrificial  towers  rose  the  smoke  of  the 
eternal  fires,  while  the  figures  of  the  hateful  priests 
stood  out  prominently.  It  was  the  dawn  of  a  day 
likely  to  be  momentous  in  the  history  of  Spain  and 
of  Mexico ;  for  Cortes  was  about  to  make  his  biggest 
attempt  to  conquer.  Difficulties  and  danger  but  drew 
him  on  to  further  exertions,  and  increased  opposition 
but  whetted  his  appetite  for  conquest.  This  day 
must  see  the  junction  of  his  two  divisions,  for  the 
troops  under  Cristoval  de  Olid  had  already  joined 
with  the  force  under  Sandoval,  and  both  occupied 
the  camp  of  the  causeway,  the  causeway  leading 
directly  north  for  more  than  a  league  into  the  heart 
of  the  city. 

The  reader  has  read  of  the  fighting  there,  and  a 
few  words  will  relate  the  fortunes  of  that  other 
division  which  had  set  out  from  Tlacuba,  under  the 
command  of  Alvarado.  Like  the  others,  it  had  ad- 
vanced for  more  than  a  league,  filling  gaps  continu- 
ously, and  camping  on  the  ground  which  it  had  won, 

-347 


Roger  the  Bold 


for  the  simple  reason  that  a  night  saw  all  its  work 
repaired  by  the  Mexicans.  It  had  advanced,  and, 
like  the  men  under  Cortes,  it  had  met  with  disaster 
on  one  occasion ;  for  the  Mexicans,  instructed  by  their 
English  cacique,  had  laid  an  ambush  for  them,  had 
lured  them  on,  and  then  had  surrounded  them,  cap- 
turing a  few  of  the  Spaniards  alive,  whom  they  had 
ruthlessly  sacrificed,  though  Roger  did  his  utmost 
to  prevent  the  act.  But  they  had  not  reached  the 
market  square  yet,  and  had  not  come  into  touch  with 
their  comrades. 

As  for  the  brigantines,  they  had  learned  to  be 
wary,  and  their  commanders  had  gradually  driven 
the  canoes  from  the  lake,  had  found  huge  water 
streets  capable  of  containing  them,  and  had  in  this 
manner  reached  both  sides  of  the  causeways,  and 
the  interior  of  some  parts  of  the  city.  Everything, 
therefore,  was  ripe  for  a  junction,  and  the  king  of 
Mexico,  with  Roger,  Teotlili,  and  a  score  of  his 
nobles  and  caciques,  stood  on  the  summit  of  the  huge 
tower  dedicated  to  the  god  of  war,  and  looked  out 
on  this  early  morning  awaiting  the  long-expected 
attack. 

"  Who  would  think  that  there  was  war  ?  "  said 
Roger,  as  he  stepped  to  the  very  edge  of  the  giddy 
height,  just  as  he  had  done  on  that  eventful  morning 
when  he  and  Tamba  were  alone  with  Teotlili,  won- 
dering whether  it  was  to  be  peace  or  the  reverse. 
"The  city  is  unharmed,  and  nothing  speaks  of  war 
save  the  broken  causeways  and  the  camps  of  the 
enemy.  A  pity  it  is  that  men  cannot  live  in  peace." 

"A  pity  indeed,"  answered  Teotlili,  gloomily. 
"The  morning  is  fair,  and  the  city  never  looked 
better.  But  go  into  the  houses  and  into  the  streets 

348 


Alvarez  probes  the  Secret 

and  there  you  will  see  much  that  speaks  of  war. 
Our  people  die  by  the  hundred,  and  their  bodies  lie 
unburied.  It  is  war,  friend  Roger,  and  this  day  will 
see  a  more  bitter  struggle  than  has  hitherto  taken 
place.  Our  spies  have  given  us  certain  information. 
I  trust  that  we  are  prepared.  There  is  nothing  that 
we  have  not  discussed  ?" 

"  Nothing.  We  have  talked  through  the  night, 
and  now  the  orders  have  been  sent  to  the  people. 
We  must  hope  for  success.  Look  now  at  the  camps. 
There  is  a  stir  there.  The  Spaniards  are  moving." 

"  And  there  are  the  horses.  The  men  are  mount- 
ing. The  attack  will  commence  before  the  hour  is 
gone.  See,  my  lord,  those  at  Tlacuba  are  prepared 
also." 

From  the  elevation  of  this  gigantic  temple  it  was 
possible  to  see  every  corner  of  the  city  and  of  the 
surrounding  lake,  and  there  spread  out  below  in  the 
sunlight  were  the  armies  of  the  invaders,  thousands 
upon  thousands  of  native  allies,  and  the  handful  of 
truly  gallant  and  steadfast  Spaniards  who  formed 
but  a  tiny  nucleus.  And  they  were  moving  forward. 
Mass  had  been  attended  with  due  reverence,  and  the 
two  forces  were  advancing  to  the  attack,  hoping  to 
unite  in  the  market  square.  In  the  city  every  house 
was  occupied.  Thousands  of  bowmen  and  men 
armed  with  the  new  and  more  effective  weapon  in- 
troduced by  Roger  lay  concealed  on  the  terraces, 
in  the  gardens,  and  in  every  possible  nook.  The 
summit  of  every  tower  was  crowded,  bricks  and 
stones  were  held  in  readiness  to  be  hurled  down  on 
the  attackers,  while  in  the  streets  were  thousands, 
all  with  complete  instructions. 

"Their  boldness  shall  be  their  undoing,"  said 
349 


Roger  tne  Bold 


the  king.  "  We  will  follow  the  advice  of  Roger  the 
cacique  to  the  very  letter,  and  this  morn  shall  see  a 
turn  in  the  tide  of  our  fortunes.  Let  all  who  have 
commands  now  go  to  them." 

There  was  solemn  leave-taking,  and  then  Roger 
and  his  friends  parted.  An  hour  later  the  clash  of 
arms  was  heard,  while  the  city  rang  with  the  thunder 
of  cannon  and  with  the  crash  of  musketry.  The 
Spaniards  forced  their  way  along  the  causeways, 
while  the  brigantines  poled  along  the  canals,  firing 
into  the  flanks.  Then  Cortes  himself  advanced,  and 
divided  his  men  into  three  parties. 

"To  the  market  square,"  he  said,  "and  see  that 
none  penetrates  beyond  a  gap  till  it  is  filled.  Now 
forward,  in  the  name  of  Our  Lady." 

At  the  command  Spaniards  and  allies  pressed 
on  into  the  city,  fighting  every  step  of  the  way. 
Bolts  were  rained  upon  them  from  the  houses,  and 
every  building  meant  an  attack,  a  fierce  resistance, 
and  then  victory.  That  accomplished,  the  next 
house  called  for  the  same  efforts,  while  the  native 
allies  who  followed  destroyed  the  building  just  cap- 
tured, levelling  it  to  the  ground.  And  so  for  many 
hours  the  conflict  continued,  the  Mexicans  resisting 
fiercely,  and  yet  giving  way  steadily  as  if  by  pre- 
conceived design,  while  on  the  summit  of  the 
tower  stood  their  king,  his  eyes  on  them,  watching 
how  they  carried  out  his  orders. 

"  We  have  them  in  our  hands,"  he  suddenly  cried, 
with  a  shout  of  joy.  "  Look,  all,  and  see  the  gap 
which  has  been  passed.  It  has  not  been  filled. 
Our  people  retire  hastily,  and  lure  the  enemy  on. 
They  hear  the  shouts  and  the  cannon  of  their 
friends,  and  they  long  to  reach  the  market  square 

350 


first.  They  are  rushing  forward  in  the  excitement, 
and  they  are  neglecting  to  fill  the  breaches.  In  a 
little  while  we  will  turn.  But  let  them  advance 
farther  in.  Let  the  city  close  about  them,  and 
then !" 

He  became  almost  inarticulate,  so  great  was  his 
enthusiasm.  He  leaned  over  the  edge  of  the  tower, 
watching  the  conflict  as  if  his  life  depended  upon  it. 
And  every  second  some  ejaculation  escaped  his  lips. 
His  feet  fidgeted.  He  would  have  rushed  below 
had  that  been  possible. 

"  My  lord  distresses  himself,"  said  one  of  the 
priests,  advancing  to  his  side,  and  displaying  the 
red  robes  of  the  chief  of  his  profession.  "  This  day 
will  go  well  for  us.  That  is  the  answer  of  the  war 
god.  The  English  cacique,  whom  we  once  almost 
sacrificed,  will  be  the  saviour  of  our  city  and  of  the 
nation.  See  him  there.  He  fights  as  one  who 
values  his  life  less  than  the  honour  of  victory." 

"  He  is  a  noble  youth  and  a  great  leader,"  was 
the  answer,  "  and  his  reward  shall  be  great.  Listen, 
and  mark  my  words.  This  giant  who  came  so 
strangely  amongst  us  will  stand  by  us  to  the  end — 
if  the  end  should  unhappily  come." 

"  He  will  die  if  need  be,"  was  the  answer. 

"  And  if  resistance  becomes  no  longer  possible 
he  will  fly." 

"That  is  due  to  him,"  replied  the  priest.  "He 
is  not  of  our  blood.  He  came  as  a  prisoner,  and 
we  treated  him  harshly.  He  has  shown  devotion 
to  us,  and  if  our  cause  be  lost  it  will  be  right  that  he 
and  his  comrades  should  fly.  They  have  homes  of 
their  own,  no  doubt.  They  have  a  right  to  return 
to  them." 

351 


Roger  the  Bold 


"  And  we  owe  them  all.  This  Roger  the  cacique 
is  the  heart  of  the  defence.  His  reward  should  be 
certain.  Cannot  you  find  this  treasure  and  hand  it 
to  him  now,  so  that  it  maybe  safe  in  his  keeping?" 

"  Impossible/'  was  the  short  answer.  "  He 
deserves  all  and  more  than  we  possess,  that  I 
acknowledge  freely.  But  I  cannot  disclose  its 
whereabouts  till  the  disc  comes  to  my  hand.  Would 
that  I  had  never  made  the  error  of  sending  it  away. 
But  the  mistake  was  made,  and  nothing  but  the 
return  of  the  disc  can  set  the  matter  right.  With 
that  before  me  I  can  read  the  secret,  and  hand  this 
reward  to  the  cacique.  If  it  does  not  come,  he  must 
fly,  rich  in  the  memory  of  the  gallantry  he  has 
shown." 

It  was  useless  to  argue  further,  and  the  king, 
who,  like  his  predecessors,  was  completely  in  the 
hands  of  the  priesthood,  was  compelled  to  be  satis- 
fied with  the  assurance  he  had  received.  If  the  disc 
was  discovered,  then  this  Roger  de  Luce,  for  whom 
he  had  conceived  a  great  affection,  would  receive 
reward,  would  have  his  pick  of  gold  and  gems 
which,  to  a  Mexican,  were  of  little  or  no  value,  but 
which  to  these  white  men  were  better  than  life 
itself,  else  why  should  the  Spaniards  fight  so  fiercely 
for  their  possession,  sacrificing  thereby  so  many 
thousands  of  innocent  people,  and  bringing  misery 
into  so  many  homes? 

But  it  was  no  time  for  soliloquizing,  for  down  in 
the  streets  below  the  turmoil  of  the  battle  rose  even 
louder.  Flushed  with  their  success  the  enemy  were 
pushing  forward,  and  were  now  within  a  little  way 
of  the  rendezvous,  where  the  two  forces  were  to 
meet.  They  could  hear  one  another's  cannon,  and 

352 


Alvarez  probes  the  Secret 

even  their  comrades'  shouts.  They  were  spurred  to 
even  greater  efforts,  and  forgetting  the  caution  which 
their  leader  had  impressed  upon  them  they  raced 
on,  forgetful  of  the  chasms  left  gaping  behind,  of 
the  thousands  of  Mexicans  concealed  beneath  the 
streets  and  in  the  side  canals,  forgetful  of  all 
save  the  mad  desire  to  conquer,  to  end  the  siege, 
to  reach  this  market  square,  than  which  there  was 
none  so  fine  in  the  whole  of  Spain,  or  even  in  Europe, 
and  reach  the  goal  before  their  comrades.  It  was 
a  race,  and  a  costly  one  it  proved. 

"  The  time  has  come.  The  cage  door  should  be 
shut,"  said  the  king  of  Mexico,  solemnly.  "There 
is  Roger  the  cacique.  I  see  him  plainly,  and  he 
waves  to  me.  •  I  will  sound  the  signal  which  will 
set  the  dogs  loose  on  them,  and  will  drive  them 
from  the  city." 

He  raised  a  huge  horn  to  his  lips  and  took  in 
a  deep  breath.  Then  he  sounded  a  long,  deep, 
mournful  note,  which  penetrated  to  every  corner. 
Once  more  he  sent  it  floating  across  the  city.  Then 
he  threw  the  horn  down,  and  raced  to  the  streets 
below ;  for  this  king  was  a  gallant  young  fellow, 
kind  and  gentle  when  not  roused,  but  a  plucky 
fighter,  possessed  of  unusual  courage. 

What  a  change  there  was !  The  sound  of  the 
horn  had  roused  the  Mexicans  to  a  frenzy,  for  it 
was  a  well-known  signal,  and  signified  some  special 
danger  threatening  their  king,  and  the  people  of 
this  city,  one  and  all,  would  gladly  have  died  in  his 
behalf.  But  on  this  particular  day  it  meant  more. 
It  meant  that  a  well-thought-out  plan  was  to  be 
accomplished.  That  this  retreat,  so  carefully  man- 
aged, was,  after  all,  but  a  part  of  the  plan,  and  that 

(B  6«6)  353  z 


Roger  the  Bold 


now  that  its  purpose  was  accomplished,  and  the 
enemy  lured  into  the  city,  the  time  had  come  to  turn 
upon  them.  Never  before  had  the  Spaniards  heard 
such  demoniacal  shouts,  such  whistling,  and  such 
terrible  calls.  The  air  was  filled  with  them,  while 
from  every  side  swarmed  Mexicans,  who  rushed  in 
upon  the  swords,  eager  to  die,  eager  to  give  their 
lives  if  only  they  could  strike  one  blow  for  king 
and  city.  But  their  rush  was  organized.  A  leader 
sprang  before  each  party.  Every  street  had  its 
force  and  its  commander,  while  in  the  very  centre 
the  gigantic  figure  of  the  white  cacique  of  Roger  the 
Bold  led  the  lines  of  fighters,  hurled  himself  with 
resistless  valour  into  the  ranks  of  the  enemy,  and 
bore  them  back  alone.  No  wonder  that  the  Mexicans 
went  mad,  that  the  Spaniards  quailed,  and  rushed 
back  towards  their  camp,  and  that  the  fatal  gap, 
which  had  not  been  filled  by  one  of  the  parties, 
proved  a  death-trap  to  the  men.  Even  Cortes  was 
well-nigh  taken,  while  huge  numbers  of  allies  and 
Spaniards  were  killed.  Indeed,  quite  sixty  of  the  in- 
vaders fell  captive  or  died — a  serious  loss  to  Cortes. 
Never  before  had  the  enemy  received  such  treat- 
ment. They  had  seen  fighting  in  other  parts,  and 
had  met  the  natives  of  Cuba  But  that  was  child's 
play  to  these  Mexican  fights,  where  men  swarmed 
out  in  their  thousands,  and  with  the  help  of  their 
English  allies  fell  upon  them.  Even  their  arms  had 
improved  during  the  siege.  Numbers  carried  the 
crossbow,  while  spearmen  in  serried  ranks  bore 
down  upon  the  horsemen  and  the  soldiers  armed 
with  sword  and  buckler.  And  if  that  were  not 
enough  to  cause  defeat,  the  canoes  which  the  com- 
manders of  the  brigantines  imagined  that  they  had 

354 


driven  from  the  lake  appeared  from  a  thousand 
hiding-places,  and  advancing  along  the  sides  of  the 
causeways,  galled  the  retreating  armies  with  their 
shafts,  and  dragged  men  into  the  water  with  their 
long  poles  and  hooks.  Could  the  tale  of  that  event- 
ful day  be  told,  it  would  include  a  hundred  and 
more  dread  single  combats  fought  in  the  water, 
would  describe  how  Spaniards,  loaded  with  their 
armour,  fell  gasping  with  their  exertions  down  the 
slope  of  the  causeway,  hooked  from  their  feet  by 
the  poles,  and  then  were  seized  by  a  dozen  frenzied 
individuals,  who  threw  themselves  in  a  body  upon 
each  one,  bearing  him  to  the  bed  of  the  lake,  and 
holding  the  unhappy  wretch  there  till  he  was 
drowned.  But  there  was  worse  to  follow.  The 
enemy  had  hardly  reached  their  camp,  and  crept 
behind  their  defences  there,  when  the  bulk  of  the 
population  returned  to  the  city,  and  there  com- 
menced a  scene  of  unparalleled  ferocity.  They 
dragged  their  captives  to  the  huge  tower  dedicated 
to  the  god  of  war,  and  drove  them  to  the  summit 
with  kicks  and  buffets.  Then  they  decked  them 
in  feathers,  and  by  main  force  caused  them  to  dance 
before  the  idol,  and  in  the  sight  of  their  miserable 
comrades  in  the  camps  below.  After  that  came  the 
gruesome  sacrifice — a  sacrifice  which  no  efforts  of 
Roger  could  put  a  stop  to. 

"  They  are  clean  out  of  han-d,  these  Mexicans," 
he  said  with  a  groan  to  Philip,  as  they  sat  in  their 
quarters  below.  "  I  can  do  nothing  with  them  now, 
for  they  are  mad.  Their  superstition  is  stronger 
than  any  belief  that  they  have  in  me,  and  these 
priests  control  them.  It  is  hateful  to  think  that  the 
wretched  prisoners  are  being  sacrificed." 

355 


Roger  the   Bold 


"  It  makes  the  blood  run  cold,"  agreed  Philip, 
with  a  shudder.  "  The  death  is  a  cruel  one,  and  you 
should  know  something  of  the  agonies  endured  by 
these  unhappy  prisoners.  But  let  it  be  a  warning 
to  Cortes.  He  came  here  of  his  own  free  will.  He 
and  his  men  have  attacked  people  who  were  dis- 
posed to  be  friendly,  and  this  is  their  reward.  They 
came  hoping  for  gold  and  treasure,  and  with  the 
wish  to  stop  these  human  sacrifices.  What  have 
they  accomplished  ?  Their  gold  caused  the  death 
of  numbers  in  that  first  retreat,  and  now,  through 
their  persistence,  more  victims  are  offered  up,  while 
thousands  are  dying  deaths  which  are  far  worse  and 
far  more  miserable  than  is  that  suffered  on  the  altar. 
Pah  !  Though  I  hate  sacrifice,  and  know  that  these 
enemies  long  to  stop  it,  I  know  also  that  they  are 
hypocrites,  that  they  would  sacrifice  you  and  me 
and  all  of  us  this  very  day  if  we  were  captured. 
We  should  swing  at  the  end  of  the  causeway." 

There  was  a  grunt  of  assent  from  Peter  Tarn- 
worth,  while  Roger  was  bound  to  agree.  After  all, 
he  thought,  what  were  the  lives  of  the  few  who  had 
been  sacrificed  since  the  coming  of  Cortes,  com- 
pared with  the  lives,  the  happiness  of  the  thousands 
perishing  in  Mexico. 

"  The  fight  will  wane,"  he  said,  "  but  the  net  will 
not  be  opened ;  it  will  close  in  more  tightly,  until 
the  end  comes.  Cortes  will  never  give  way." 

Nor  did  our  hero  prove  wrong  in  this  surmise, 
for  for  many  days  the  siege  languished.  Fighting 
still  continued,  but  it  was  half-hearted.  Meanwhile 
the  huge  success  attained  by  the  Mexicans  brought 
numbers  of  vacillating  adherents  to  their  side,  while 
thousands  of  the  native  allies  left  the  army  gathered 

356 


Alvarez  probes  the  Secret 

under  the  banner  of  Castile.  It  was  a  turn  in  the 
fortunes  of  Fernando  Cortes,  and  many  another 
leader  would  have  given  way.  But  this  redoubtable 
general  was  a  diplomatist  and  a  sagacious  tactician 
as  well.  He  rallied  the  natives  to  his  banner  again, 
and  then  once  more  pushed  on  with  the  attack. 
When  seventy-four  days  had  passed  Fernando 
Cortes  was  in  possession  of  more  than  seven-eighths 
of  the  city.  In  the  remaining  portion  were  gathered 
the  survivors  of  the  gallant  defence. 

Tall  and  gaunt,  looking  more  like  a  slim  ghost 
than  the  Roger  of  this  story,  our  hero  waited  for 
the  end,  determined  to  see  the  siege  to  its  bitter 
point.  For  days  he  had  eaten  nothing  but  a  few 
herbs  gathered  from  odd  crevices  by  the  faithful 
Tamba,  while  a  fish  sometimes  added  to  his  repast. 
Ten  of  his  comrades  were  dead.  The  remainder 
were  skeletons,  too  weak  almost  to  walk,  only  able 
to  fight  when  pressed  by  dire  necessity.  All  were 
parched  with  thirst.  As  for  the  people  of  the  un- 
ifortunate  city,  they  had  died  literally  in  their  tens 
of  thousands.  The  streets  were  filled  by  their  un- 
buried  bodies  ;  they  lay  in  the  courtyards,  in  the 
temple  squares,  and  in  their  houses,  piled  thickly 
together.  Those  who  survived  walked  listlessly 
here  and  there,  or  squatted  on  the  ground,  too 
weak  to  move.  They  waited  for  the  very  last — 
for  the  coming  of  the  Spaniards  and  of  their 
allies. 

"  Nothing  can  save  them,"  said  Roger,  huskily. 
"  These  native  allies  slaughter  the  poor  people  like 
sheep,  and  they  are  so  weak  that  they  make  no 
resistance.  It  is  terrible !  Would  that  the  priests 
would  allow  the  king  to  surrender.  But  they  will 

357 


Roger  the  Bold 


not  do  that.  We  shall  fight  to  the  bitter  end,  and 
then  there  are  canoes  to  take  us  away.  Remember 
and  warn  all  our  comrades.  When  the  horn  sounds 
they  are  to  rush  to  the  stage  at  the  back  of  the 
palace,  and  there  embark.  We  have  the  Spanish 
guns  there,  and  just  sufficient  ammunition  for  one 
discharge  ;  perhaps  we  shall  succeed  in  getting  off. 
Now  let  us  go  to  our  positions.  This,  surely,  must 
be  the  last  day  of  all." 

An  hour  later  the  Spaniards  swarmed  into  the 
city,  and  a  desperate  encounter  commenced,  the 
native  allies  bursting  into  the  houses  and  killing 
those  who  were  helpless.  Others  who  still  had 
strength  and  determination  to  fight  retreated  to  the 
palace,  showing  a  firm  face  to  the  enemy.  But  even 
they  at  length  became  demoralized,  and  soon  the 
scene  was  one  of  confusion.  Natives  hunted  for 
Mexicans  on  every  side.  Friends  and  enemies  were 
mixed  together,  when  Roger  and  his  party,  all  sepa- 
rated by  now,  made  the  best  of  their  way  towards 
the  landing-stage.  Suddenly  our  hero  gave  expres- 
sion to  a  startled  cry. 

"  Alvarez  ! "  he  exclaimed  in  a  whisper.  "  The 
traitor,  and  by  himself!  He  is  seeking  for  some 

one  and ah,  there  is  the  priest !  The  artful  rogue 

has  made  him  captive." 

He  crouched  in  the  hollow  existing  between  two 
of  the  buildings,  and  stared  out  at  the  intruders. 
And  thanks  to  his  quickness  he  escaped  observation, 
the  Spaniard  passing  some  yards  away,  while  follow- 
ing him  were  five  of  the  native  allies,  in  whose 
charge  walked  the  chief  priest,  his  red  robe  in 
tatters.  They  passed  in  through  the  palace  gate, 
and  were  lost  to  view. 

358 


Alvarez  probes  the  Secret 

"Gone  in  search  of  treasure,"  thought  Roger. 
"  Shall  I  follow,  or  make  for  the  stage  ?  " 

He  hesitated,  fearing  that  if  he  were  to  delay 
the  canoes  might  leave  without  him.  He  listened 
to  the  distant  shouts  and  to  the  cries  of  the  com- 
batants, for  on  every  side  small  parties  of  famished 
Mexicans  were  offering  a  last  resistance  to  the 
enemy.  Then  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  ran  after 
the  Spaniard. 

"  No,"  he  thought ;  "  I  have  come  so  far,  and  have 
put  up  with  so  much,  that  I  will  not  sacrifice  all  at 
the  last  for  fear  of  being  left  behind.  I  will  follow, 
and  perhaps  I  may  be  successful.  I  wish  that  Phil 
or  Peter,  or  even  Tamba,  were  here  to  give  me  their 
help." 

Darting  across  the  street  he  passed  through  the 
gate  and  traversed  a  courtyard.  At  the  exit  he 
paused  and  suddenly  crouched  to  the  ground.  Then 
ne  crawled  forward  on  hands  and  knees,  and  gained 
some  shrubs  in  the  garden.  Alvarez  was  again  in 
sight,  and  the  priest  and  his  captors  led  the  advance. 

"This  is  the  garden,"  Alvarez  was  saying. 
"  Now,  dog  with  the  red  robe,  you  who  have  slain 
so  many  of  my  comrades,  lead  theway  to  the  treasure. 
Here  is  the  disc.  Lead  swiftly,  for  I  would  have 
none  else  see  me." 

He  looked  round  furtively,  fearful  that  his  com- 
rades should  discover  his  deceit  and  wrest  the 
treasure  from  him.  Then  he  stalked  to  the  side  of 
the  priest,  tore  the  disc  from  the  very  same  leather 
pouch  in  which  Roger  had  kept  it,  and  thrust  it  in 
front  of  his  face. 

"  Come,"  he  said,  with  an  oath,  looking  about  him 
with  frightened  eyes.  "  Move !  Let  your  wits  work 

359 


Roger  the  Bold 


swiftly.  This  holds  the  secret.  Fernando  Cortes 
knew  that,  and  you  also.  I  have  learned  that  you 
are  the  only  man  who  can  read  that  secret.  Read, 
then,  and  quickly,  or  I  will  treat  you  as  you  have 
served  those  others." 

He  showed  his  teeth,  while  the  hand  which  held 
the  disc  shook,  so  great  was  his  anxiety.  As  for 
the  priest,  he  had  no  alternative.  A  dagger  was 
in  the  Spaniard's  other  hand,  while  the  natives  who 
held  him  looked  as  though  they  would  slaughter 
him  with  glee.  He  trembled,  for  this  man  who 
had  killed  so  many  wretched  victims  feared  to  die 
himself.  He  trembled,  stretched  out  his  hand  for 
the  disc,  and  then  suddenly  hesitated.  Courage 
came  to  him  in  this  terrible  position,  and  he  realized 
that  if  he  showed  the  whereabouts  of  the  treasure, 
he  would  be  slaughtered  as  surely  as  if  he  refused. 
And  these  Spaniards  lived  and  fought  for  gold  and 
jewels.  If  he  refused,  then  they  would  have  gained 
nothing  but  their  conquest  of  the  city,  and  besides — 
"  It  was  promised  to  the  gallant  white  chief  who 
led  us  and  gave  us  his  counsel,"  he  thought.  "  It 
belongs  to  him,  and  if  he  cannot  take  it  away, 
then  it  shall  lie  hidden  where  it  is  now.  No ;  I 
will  die  now.  Let  this  wretch  slay  me,  and  have 
done." 

He  was  in  the  very  act  of  flinging  the  disc  to  one 
side  when  his  eye  happened  to  roam  across  the 
garden,  amongst  its  trampled  bushes  and  shrubs, 
once  so  neat  and  so  brilliant  with  blooms,  and  now 
almost  bare  of  leaves,  for  the  reason  that  the  starving 
people  had  plucked  and  eaten  them.  He  started  and 
raised  his  head.  Then  his  eye  flashed  a  message, 
and  he  stared  at  the  disc  once  more.  For  he  had 

360 


Alvarez  probes  the  Secret 

seen  Roger.  The  figure  of  the  giant  cacique  had 
appeared  as  he  crawled  from  one  bush  to  another, 
and  this  head  priest,  in  his  hideous  tattered  robe  of 
red,  who  had  once  so  nearly  killed  Roger,  determined 
to  befriend  him. 

"  Let  justice  be  done,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  For 
me  there  is  no  life.  I  feared  death  a  moment  ago, 
though  I  have  nothing  to  live  for.  But  my  lord  the 
noble  white  man  has  much  before  him.  He  is  bold. 
He  has  given  strength,  wisdom,  and  almost  life  itself 
for  our  cause,  and  it  is  but  just  that  we  should  give 
him  the  promised  reward.  He  shall  have  it.  While 
I  can  I  will  read  the  secret  and  will  show  the 
treasure,  leaving  him  to  deal  with  these  rogues. 
Give  me  the  disc,"  he  said  aloud.  "The  place  is 
near  at  hand,  that  I  know,  but  where  I  cannot  say 
till  I  have  read  the  picture." 

For  a  little  while  he  stared  at  the  disc,  tracing 
the  lines  of  the  causeways  with  his  finger.  What 
he  saw  there  that  Roger  and  others  had  failed  to 
detect  it  would  be  impossible  to  state,  but  suddenly 
he  gave  a  cry,  while  Alvarez  gave  vent  to  an 
exclamation  of  pleasure. 

"  He  reads  the  secret,"  he  said  hoarsely,  his  eyes 
almost  starting  from  his  head,  so  great  was  his 
eagerness.  "  Come,  now,  sir  priest,  hasten,  or  these 
other  birds  of  prey  will  be  down  upon  me.  Show 
me  the  wealth,  for  I  wish  to  secure  it  for  myself 
alone." 

One  of  the  natives  who  acted  as  guard  to  the 
priest  rapidly  interpreted,  Alvarez  taking  the  priest 
by  his  robe  in  his  anxiety  to  hurry  him  on  to  the 
treasure. 

"  They  are  getting  closer,"  he  cried.    "  Listen  to 

361 


Roger  the  Bold 

their  shouts.     They  will  be   here,  if  you  are  not 
speedy.     Where  is  the  hoard  ?  " 

His  anxiety  to  be  moving  was  pitiful.  He 
trembled,  stared  about  him  as  if  he  were  hunted, 
and  stamped  with  impatience.  Then  to  his  huge 
delight  the  priest  moved. 

"  I  have  read  the  secret,"  he  said  "  The  disc 
tells  where  the  treasure  is  deposited.  "  'Tis  close 
at  hand.  Follow,  and  I  will  take  you  to  it." 

He  cast  a  significant  glance  at  the  spot  where 
Roger  had  last  been  seen,  and  smiled  grimly  in  his 
beard  as  he  noted  that  the  white  cacique  had  come 
even  closer.  Then  he  turned  on  his  heel  and  swept 
on  through  the  garden. 

"  Follow ! "  he  called  out.  "  To  the  treasure- 
house." 

There  was  no  need  for  him  to  bid  the  Spaniard 
to  follow,  for  the  anxiety  of  the  traitor  who  had  so 
nearly  slain  Roger  with  his  treacherous  dagger 
impelled  him  forward  till  he  outstripped  the  priest. 
Then  he  took  him  again  by  the  robe  and  pulled  him 
on,  dragged  him  through  the  garden,  and  on  to 
where  one  of  the  many  sacrificial  towers  lifted  its 
lofty  walls  above  the  buildings.  It  was  surrounded 
by  a  low  wall  of  glazed  tiles,  and  its  pavements  and 
steps  were  constructed  in  a  manner  which  showed 
that  it  was  of  special  design. 

"  The  king's  tower,"  said  the  priest,  by  way  of 
explanation.  "  He  worships  here  alone.  See  the 
smoke  of  the  fire  which  burns  on  the  altar.  Let  the 
Spaniard  mount.  I  will  follow  as  swiftly  as  I  can. 
I  am  weak  with  fasting." 

He  stood  aside  to  allow  Alvarez  to  pass  him,  and 
then,  helped  by  his  guard,  slowly  ascended  the  steps 

362 


Alvarez  probes  the  Secret 

which  encircled  the  building.  And  after  them  came 
Roger,  his  tall,  gaunt  frame  pressed  against  the  wall 
to  keep  out  of  sight,  and  his  sword  in  his  hand.  He 
was  breathing  hard.  Every  stair  seemed  as  if  it 
would  be  too  much  for  him,  for  he  had  fought  hard. 
He  had  never  during  the  long  days  of  the  siege 
saved  himself  in  the  slightest,  and  had  borne  the 
same  privations  as  had  the  common  people.  The 
exertion  and  the  excitement  were  almost  too  much 
for  him.  But  he  thought  of  the  reward,  of  the  knights 
who  had  helped  to  send  him  to  this  Terra  Firma, 
and  of  his  comrades.  If  he  escaped  to  the  coast 
and  gained  a  ship,  how  miserable  to  reach  home 
empty  handed,  to  arrive  at  the  port  of  London  with 
a  tale  of  this  siege,  and  with  the  report  of  lost 
riches.  Would  they  be  believed?  Would  the  folks  in 
London  city  credit  the  fact  that  the  simple  crossbow 
youth  had  risen  to  such  high  places,  and  had  had 
the  promise  of  huge  wealth  ?  No !  They  would  be 
thought  to  be  mad.  Solid  facts  would  be  necessary 
to  convince  them.  Gold  and  jewels  and  pearls. 
Roger  determined  to  make  one  last  struggle,  and 
bracing  himself  for  it,  slowly  followed  up  the  stairs. 
He  reached  the  very  top  and  halted,  his  body  con- 
cealed by  an  ornamental  ledge  which  fringed  the 
edge  of  the  tower.  Then  he  sought  for  some  object 
behind  which  he  could  obtain  cover,  and  from  which 
he  could  observe  what  was  passing.  There  was  a 
huge  stone  vase  for  flowers  near  at  hand,  only  the 
flowers  had  long  since  dwindled  away,  no  one 
having  had  time  or  the  strength  to  attend  to  their 
watering  during  the  siege.  But  it  would  form  an 
excellent  obstruction,  and  our  hero  crept  behind  it. 
Then  he  slowly  lifted  his  head,  and  looked  on  to  the 

363 


Roger  the   Bold 

square  court  at  the  top  of  the  tower.  There  stood 
the  scarlet-robed  priest,  obviously  delaying  so  that 
the  white  cacique  might  have  time  to  follow,  while 
Alvarez  stood  beside  him  eager,  excited,  scarcely 
able  to  keep  still,  so  much  was  he  roused.  But 
Roger  noticed  that  he  had  lost  the  old  hunted 
appearance.  He  no  longer  stared  about  him,  looking 
now  over  this  shoulder  and  now  over  that.  Once, 
indeed,  he  walked  to  the  ledge  and  stared  over  into 
the  garden,  but  a  glance  satisfied  him  that  none  of 
the  Spaniards  followed.  He  returned,  therefore, 
rubbing  his  hands  together  with  pleasure,  and 
muttering  to  himself. 

"  At  last ! "  he  was  saying.  "  I  have  waited,  and 
I  have  plotted,  and  not  in  vain.  Here  is  reward  for 
all  the  dangers  I  have  run,  for  the  risk  I  took  when 
I  lay  off  Cuba  for  the  British  ship.  At  last  I  shall 
see  a  fortune,  and  I  alone  of  all  who  are  here  shall 
return  to  Spain  with  wealth.  What  is  conquest  with- 
out it  ?  Even  Fernando  Cortes  will  envy  me.  But — 
supposing  that  English  giant  knew?  He  promised 
to  slay  me  for  the  blow  I  dealt  him.  That  I  know, 
for  it  was  told  me.  Ah,  perhaps  he  is  dead.  I  will 
ask  the  priest.  Come,  sir  priest,"  he  said  aloud, 
addressing  the  man  in  scarlet,  "  tell  me  of  this  giant 
who  led  you.  Is  he  dead  ?  " 

"Not  dead,"  was  the  answer,  "but  starving — worn 
out  with  the  struggle.  Do  not  trouble  about  him 
now,  but  come.  I  have  the  key  to  the  treasure. 
The  picture  directs  me  to  the  summit  of  this  temple. 
There  is  a  wall  before  me.  I  step  to  it  like  this,  and 
stand  with  my  toes  against  it,  with  the  tips  of  the 
fingers  of  my  right  hand  just  level  with  the  corner. 
Then  I  sweep  them  so  above  my  head  till  I  come  to 

364 


Alvarez  probes   the   Secret 

a  ledge.  Here  it  is,  my  lord.  And  on  the  ledge—  " 
(he  fumbled  there  till  his  fingers  came  in  contact  with 
an  object,  and  he  withdrew  a  heavy  bar  of  glittering 
metal,  somewhat  tarnished  by  exposure  to  the 
weather)—"  on  the  ledge  a  bar  of  gold  I  turn  to  the 
left,  and  step  to  the  nearest  door.  It  is  here.  I 
enter,  and  within  search  for  a  hole  which  will  accept 
this  bar.  The  picture  shows  it  before  me  as  I  enter. 
Stand  aside  there,  dogs  who  have  helped  to  ruin 
this  fair  country.  You  keep  the  light  from  the 
chamber.  Now  enter,  my  lord,  and  the  natives  can 
follow  if  you  wish  it.  Ah,  here  is  the  aperture.  I 
place  the  bar  within  it  and  press.  It  gives.  Enter 
again  to  this  inner  chamber,  where  you  will  find  the 
treasure." 

The  priest  stood  back,  lifting  his  arms  as  he  did 
so,  and  pointing  to  a  narrow  aperture  which  had 
suddenly  opened  in  what  would  appear  to  have 
been  solid  masonry.  But  a  closer  inspection  showed 
that  it  was  merely  imitation — that  the  wall  was 
painted  to  represent  stonework,  and  that  a  portion, 
exquisitely  made,  was  designed  to  swing  outwards. 
Through  the  opening  thus  disclosed  could  be  seen 
a  chamber  of  small  proportions,  lit  by  rays  which 
came  from  small  niches  in  the  outside  walls.  A 
closer  inspection  showed  that  it  swept  to  the  left 
out  of  sight,  while,  more  engaging  sight  still  to 
Alvarez,  there  were  piles  of  loose  stones  within,  and 
beyond  those  a  heap  of  golden  ornaments  set  with 
stones,  and  of  crude  gold  struck  into  rough  bars.  It 
was  a  sight,  in  fact,  to  make  the  blood  of  the  Spaniard 
course  swiftly  through  his  veins. 

"  The  treasure  ! "  he  gasped.  "  The  treasure  for 
which  I  have  longed !  Bar  the  door,  dogs  !  Hold 

365 


Roger  the   Bold 


the  priest,  and  let  none  enter  while  I  am  within. 
Remember!  Let  no  one  follow.  If  a  question  is 
asked,  say  that  no  Spaniard  is  here.  Wait,  and  I 
will  return  in  a  few  minutes." 

He  stepped  to  the  opening  and  clambered 
through.  Then  the  native  guards  closed  about  the 
doorway,  so  cutting  off  escape  for  the  priest.  But 
they  kept  no  watch  on  the  terrace  outside.  They 
failed  to  see  the  creeping  giant  who  had  emerged 
from  behind  the  vase,  while  Roger  himself,  intent 
on  treasure  also  and  on  the  payment  of  his  debt, 
kept  no  watch  on  the  stairs  by  which  he  had 
ascended.  He  did  not  see  the  crafty  figure  which  had 
tracked  him  to  the  terrace,  the  figure  of  a  Spaniard 
to  whom  some  inkling  of  the  plot  had  come  from 
Alvarez  when  in  his  cups,  the  figure  of  a  Spaniard 
determined  to  share  the  treasure  at  the  very  least, 
and,  if  possible,  if  his  hand  could  strike  the  blow, 
to  take  all  for  himself. 


36(3 


CHAPTER  XX 
A  Race  for  the  Ocean 

A  LVAREZ  DE  LOGAS  was  spellbound  The 
/~\  highest  flight  of  his  imagination  had  never 
conjured  up  such  a  scene,  such  vast  wealth  as  was 
displayed  in  the  treasure  chamber.  He  stood 
aghast,  more  perturbed  by  the  sight  of  so  much 
gold  and  so  many  jewels,  than  he  had  been  at  the 
thought  of  losing  even  a  portion  of  the  riches  to 
be  gained  by  coming  to  Mexico.  He  stood  rooted 
to  the  spot,  now  inclined  to  fling  himself  upon  the 
gems  which  sparkled  in  the  light  which  came 
through  the  apertures  in  the  walls,  and  a  moment 
later  scarcely  resisting  the  inclination  to  rush  upon 
the  massive  golden  vessels  with  the  shining  orbs 
set  into  their  sides.  His  hand  went  to  his  head, 
and  he  lifted  his  steel  cap,  while  the  fingers  of  his 
other  hand  passed  through  the  wisp  of  hair  which 
clung  to  his  scalp. 

"  The  treasure !  At  last  the  treasure ! "  he  gasped. 
"  Riches  enough  to  make  me  the  highest  noble  in  all 
Spain,  wealthier  even  than  the  king.  Here  is  com- 
fort for  my  old  age,  and  honour,  honour  such  as 
comes  not  even  to  men  like  Fernando  Cortes,  for 
wealth  brings  everything  in  its  train.  I  will  take 
the  gems  alone,  for  those  I  can  carry.  But  no! 

367 


Roger  the   Bold 


I  cannot  leave  the  gold.     To  do  so  would  be  a  sin. 
I  have  bearers  in  plenty.     All  shall  be  mine  ! " 

The  sound  of  his  voice  startled  him,  for  in  his 
excitement  he  raised  his  tones  almost  to  a  shriek. 
But  now  he  was  frightened.  The  old  fears  returned 
to  him,  and  he  stared  back  at  the  door,  and  then 
ran  to  it,  peering  through  the  narrow  opening  into 
the  chamber  beyond,  where  the  guards  stood, 
listening  to  the  shrieks  of  the  unfortunate  Mexicans 
below,  and  to  the  triumphal  shouts  of  the  native 
allies  as  they  slaughtered  the  unhappy  people. 
They  showed  on  their  faces  that  they  longed  to  be 
gone,  while  the  scarlet-cloaked  priest  also  looked 
steadily  to  the  door,  as  if  he  were  also  listening  and 
expecting  something.  A  suspicion  crossed  the  mind 
of  Alvarez.  He  looked  sharply  at  his  captive,  who 
had  read  the  secret  of  the  disc  for  him.  Then  his 
eye  went  back  to  the  treasure,  and  that  conquered. 
The  sight  of  the  glittering  gems  and  of  the  piled-up 
gold  drove  all  fear  and  suspicion  from  his  mind. 
He  recollected  nothing  beside  the  fact  that  he  was 
actually  in  the  treasure-house,  wading  in  the  riches 
for  which  he  had  sought  so  long,  for  which  he  had 
plotted  and  schemed,  and  for  which  he  had  not 
hesitated  to  risk  his  own  life  and  to  attempt  to  take 
that  of  another.  Every  night  he  had  dreamed  of 
this  great  day,  and  now " 

"Mine!"  he  shouted.  "All  mine!  I  will  look 
round.  I  will  touch  the  wealth,  and  then  I  will 
devise  how  to  take  it  away." 

He  fell  on  his  knees  beside  the  gems,  and  let 
them  trickle  through  his  fingers.  He  picked  out 
the  largest  and  the  finest  stones,  held  them  to 
the  light,  and  set  them  aside.  Then  he  poured 

368 


'THE   SPANIARD    WAS   STAGGERED" 


A  Race  for  the  Ocean 

handful  after  handful  within  his  cotton-padded 
jerkin. 

"  A  fortune  within  my  shirt ! "  he  chuckled.  "  A 
fortune  with  which  to  buy  position  and  power,  even 
should  the  other  treasure  fail  to  come  to  hand.  And 
now  for  the  other  riches." 

He  crawled  on  hands  and  knees  round  the 
chamber,  oblivious  of  all  that  was  passing  outside, 
unmindful  of  the  awful  slaughter  then  taking  place, 
and  deaf  to  the  shouts  of  the  combatants  and  to  the 
thunder  of  the  guns.  "  Gold !  Gold  and  gems ! 
Riches !  Power !  Honour  in  his  native  land.  Pride 
of  family,  where  he  had  had  none ! "  These  words 
alone  rang  in  his  ears.  He  was  intoxicated  with 
success,  and  if  he  had  reared  golden  castles  in  the 
air  on  former  occasions  since  he  had  stolen  the 
famous  disc,  they  were  studded  with  brilliants  this 
time.  They  towered  to  the  very  heavens,  and  on 
every  battlement  and  arch  glittering  flags  blew  out 
with  those  same  words  embroidered  upon  them. 
"Riches!  Power  beyond  all  the  dreams  of  a 
rapacious  avarice !  Plenty  for  the  future !  No  toil ! 
But  power !  A  position  of  command  in  place  of 
the  humble  post  he  had  filled  in  former  days! 
Wealth  sufficient  to  make  him  the  friend  and  inti- 
mate of  nobles  and  king ! " 

What  wonder  if  this  Spanish  soldier  went  crazy 
at  the  astounding  wealth  set  out  at  his  feet !  What 
wonder  that  he  forgot  the  siege  of  Mexico,  forgot 
in  this  supreme  moment  all  his  caution,  the  schem- 
ing and  the  cunning  which  he  had  been  so  careful 
to  practise.  All  through  he  had  thrown  dust  in  the 
eyes  of  his  comrades,  just  as  he  had  deceived  the 
English  aboard  the  brigantine.  Not  once  in  his 

(BM6)  369  2   A 


Roger  the  Bold 


waking  conscious  moments  had  he  let  fall  a  syllable 
of  his  great  secret.  He  had  waited,  silent  and 
watchful,  for  the  end  of  the  siege,  and  only  once 
had  his  caution  been  relaxed.  He  had  been  tried, 
and  the  native  pulque  pleased  his  palate.  He  had 
drunk  deeply,  and,  roused  by  the  potent  drink,  had 
whispered  something  which  had  aroused  a  suspicion, 
for  it  is  only  dead  men  who  tell  no  tales.  Alvarez 
in  his  cups  was  a  live  man,  robbed  of  caution  for 
the  moment,  and  that  moment  was  destined  to  be 
his  ruin ;  for,  outside,  creeping  up  the  stairway  of 
the  tower,  came  a  Spaniard,  that  one  who  had  over- 
heard his  drunken  words.  He  followed  his  comrade, 
having  gained  news  of  his  whereabouts.  But  he 
knew  nothing  of  Roger,  though,  in  a  little  while, 
when  he  rounded  the  next  curve,  and  ascended  a 
few  more  steps,  the  figure  of  the  crouching  giant 
would  come  into  view. 

Tap !  Something  fell  on  the  tiled  pavement  on 
the  summit  of  the  tower,  and  Roger  raised  his  head 
and  started  at  the  sound.  His  head  shot  up  above 
the  vase,  and  he  peeped  out. 

"A  crossbow  bolt  here!"  he  said  to  himself  in 
astonishment.  "  And  it  is  of  our  own  manufacture. 
I  can  tell  that  by  the  bright  colour  of  the  feathers." 

The  sight  caused  him  to  think,  and,  for  the 
moment,  led  his  thoughts  away  from  the  task  he 
had  in  hand.  He  pondered,  but  famine  had  dulled 
his  wits.  He  was  too  weak  to  look  further  into  a 
matter  which  could  not  be  of  importance,  and  he 
was  therefore  in  the  act  of  crouching  again  when  a 
second  bolt  fell  at  his  feet. 

"A  second!  Then  it  must  be  a  signal.  Who 
can  have  fired  it  ?  " 

370 


A  Race  for  the  Ocean 

He  was  at  once  alert,  conscious  that  danger 
threatened  from  some  unknown  quarter,  and  he 
promptly  crept  to  the  edge  of  the  tower  and  looked 
over.  There  was  a  figure  crouching  in  the  garden 
bushes  below,  a  figure  which  waved  frantically  to 
him.  Then  it  started  from  its  lair  and  staggered 
to  the  steps,  gesticulating,  pointing  to  the  side  of 
the  tower. 

"  Tamba ! "  exclaimed  Roger.  "The  faithful  fellow 
has  shadowed  me  through  the  siege,  and  has  followed 
here,  and  he  sees  something  wrong.  Some  one  may 
be  following." 

Quick  as  thought  he  ran  across  the  square 
summit  of  the  tower  and  hid  behind  the  altar,  upon 
which,  no  doubt,  many  an  unhappy  wretch  had  been 
sacrificed.  But  Roger  had  no  time  to  think  of  that. 
His  eyes  were  on  the  top  of  the  stairs,  and  they 
opened  even  wider  with  amazement  as  a  second 
Spaniard  appeared,  creeping  stealthily,  and  peering 
ahead  as  if  he  feared  detection.  This  man  was 
in  his  stockinged  feet,  and  when  he  saw  that  the 
summit  was  untenanted,  he  rose  to  the  upright 
position  and  raced  across  to  the  door  through 
which  Alvarez  and  the  priest  had  gone.  He  tore 
the  curtain  aside  and  looked  in.  Then  he  gave 
vent  to  a  shout. 

"  Found  !  By  our  Lady,  found  ! "  he  cried  at  the 
top  of  his  voice.  "  The  silent,  secret  Alvarez  is  dis- 
covered by  his  friend,  and  will  divide.  I  see  gold 
and  jewels.  Gold  and  stones  enough  for  a  score, 
and  sufficient  for  you  and  me.  I  am  silent  if  you 
consent  to  a  division,  if  not " 

The  triumphant  smile  which  his  features  had 
worn  vanished,  and  he  drew  his  sword.  Then  he 

371 


Roger  the   Bold 


peered  in  at  the  wealth,  and  a  crafty,  covetous 
grin  caused  the  corners  of  his  mouth  to  twitch. 

"  Why  divide  ? "  he  said  in  low  tones.  "  Why 
give  half  to  a  craven  such  as  he,  when  there  is  all 
for  the  man  who  can  take  it  ?  I  can  beat  him.  I 
can  play  him  with  my  sword,  and  in  these  times 
tales  do  not  pass." 

He  stood  there  a  moment  longer  looking  in  at 
Alvarez,  while  the  latter  stared  at  his  one-time 
friend  as  if  he  were  a  ghost.  Not  yet  had  he  been 
able  to  tear  his  mind  and  thoughts  away  from  the 
wealth  in  which  he  stood;  but  the  glint  of  the 
sword  told  him  of  danger,  and  that  brought  him  to 
his  senses. 

"  Begone ! "  he  growled.  "  This  is  mine !  I  found 
It.  I  slaved  for  the  disc,  and  risked  my  life,  and  I 
will  not  divide." 

Then  the  voice  of  caution  whispered  to  him,  and 
he  spoke  again — 

"  Begone  at  once,"  he  said  huskily,  "  and  for 
your  silence  I  will  give  sufficient  to  make  you  a 
man  of  wealth." 

"  Divide ! "  cried  the  intruder,  advancing  into  the 
room. 

"Never!  It  is  mine.  I  will  hold  it  with  my 
sword." 

Alvarez  was  now  fully  alive  to  his  danger,  and 
saw  the  threatening  attitude  of  the  Spaniard.  He 
drew  his  weapon  briskly,  and  clambered  through 
the  opening,  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  intruder.  There 
was  an  ugly  scowl  on  his  wizened  face,  while  his 
teeth  were  set  firmly.  He  had  a  stake  to  fight  for, 
as  well  as  his  life,  and,  as  he  clambered  from  the 
treasure  chamber,  he  was  determined  to  win  or  die. 

372 


A   Race  for  the  Ocean 

"  Retire,"  he  said  sternly.  "  I  will  carry  out  my 
compact.  Go  at  once,  and  keep  silent  if  you  desire 
to  be  rich." 

"  I  shall  stay,"  was  the  answer.  "  You  have  found 
the  gold.  I  shall  take  it  from  you.  Put  up  your 
sword  and  fight  for  its  possession.  If  that  is  not  to 
your  liking  retire  now  and  keep  your  tongue  still, 
or  I  shall  have  something  to  say.  But  I  promise  to 
give  you  enough  to  buy  wealth  in  Spain — wealth 
and  a  proud  position." 

There  were  no  words  after  that.  The  full  bitter- 
ness of  his  position  came  to  Alvarez  with  a  shock, 
and  if  he  had  been  nearly  crazy  a  few  minutes  before 
at  the  thought  of  the  hoard  which  he  had  captured, 
he  went  entirely  mad  now  as  the  dreadful  truth  was 
forced  upon  his  mind.  He  was  about  to  be  robbed. 
Death  were  better  than  that.  He  raised  his  sword 
and  rushed  on  his  enemy.  Sparks  flew  from  the 
steel,  and  Roger,  who  had  now  crept  to  the  door, 
heard  the  crash  as  the  blades  met.  Then  the  in- 
truder was  forced  to  give  way.  He  retreated  before 
the  blind  fury  of  Alvarez,  defending  himself  with 
difficulty.  And  soon  they  passed  through  the  door, 
tearing  the  curtain  from  its  fastenings,  and  con- 
tinued the  contest  in  the  open  air. 

"  Die !"  shouted  Alvarez,  striking  a  frenzied  blow. 
"  Die,  you  rogue,  who  thought  to  rob  me ! " 

He  took  two  hands  to  his  sword  and  swung  it 
over  his  head.  Then  he  brought  the  blade  down 
with  a  crash  which  would  have  killed  his  opponent 
had  he  not  raised  his  own  weapon  to  ward  off  the 
cut.  The  blades  met  with  a  resounding  crash,  and 
then  the  Spanish  steel  gave  way.  Half  Alvarez's 
sword  tinkled  on  to  the  pavement 

373 


Roger  the  Bold 


The  wealth  is  mine !  The  reward  comes  to  me  !  " 
shouted  his  opponent. 

He  sprang  at  his  enemy  with  a  bound  which 
carried  him  to  close  quarters.  And  then,  while  the 
unfortunate  Alvarez  still  stood  looking  at  his  frac- 
tured blade,  he  drove  his  own  weapon  through  his 
body. 

"Die  yourself!"  shouted  the  Spaniard.  "Die, 
and  so  keep  a  silent  tongue  for  ever !  I  will  take 
care  of  the  treasure." 

He  looked  at  his  victim,  who  lay  dead  already, 
and  then  swung  round  to  go  into  the  treasure 
chamber.  But  the  figure  of  the  English  giant  stood 
there,  gaunt  and  unnaturally  slim,  hollow-cheeked 
and  deadly  pale,  but  cool,  calm,  and  collected,  and 
wearing  a  smile  as  he  handled  his  stout  English 
sword. 

"  The  treasure  is  mine,"  said  Roger,  softly.  "  I 
held  the  disc  for  those  who  sent  me  here,  and  this 
man  stole  it  from  me.  It  comes  back  to  me,  and 
with  it  the  treasure.  Dispute  my  word  if  you 
dare." 

The  Spaniard  was  staggered.  Just  as  Alvarez 
had  stood  rooted  to  the  spot  at  the  sudden  sight  of 
the  treasure,  he  remained  staring  at  Roger,  hardly 
able  to  believe  his  eyes.  Then  he  gave  vent  to  a 
snarl  of  rage,  and  gripped  his  sword. 

"  You  starved  dog !  "  he  said.  "  Dispute  the 
word  of  a  man  who  is  already  more  than  half  in  his 
grave ! " 

He  lifted  his  weapon  over  his  shoulder,  took  in 
a  deep  breath,  and  made  ready  to  attack.  But  there 
were  others  watching,  and  before  he  could  stir  a 
step  there  was  a  twang  of  a  bow,  and  a  shaft  struck 

374 


A  Race  for  the  Ocean 

him  full  in  the  chest.  In  an  instant  he  was  down 
on  the  tiles,  struggling  feebly,  and  when  Roger  went 
to  him  and  knelt  at  his  side  he  found  him  just  dead, 
for  Tamba's  missile  had  done  its  work. 

"  He  is  dead,"  said  Roger,  as  he  rose  to  hh  feet, 
"  and  Alvarez  has  received  his  just  reward.  There 
is  nothing  to  keep  me  now  from  the  treasure  if  the 
priest  has  shown  it.  Stay  outside,  Tamba,  and  cut 
down  any  of  the  natives  who  attempt  to  escape." 

"  None  will  do  that,"  said  the  voice  of  the  priest, 
as  he  emerged  from  the  chamber.  "  These  men 
here,  who  are  my  enemies,  dare  not  to  touch  you, 
who  are  their  god  of  air.  You  and  the  native 
are  safe,  and  you  have  time  to  pick  and  choose. 
Enter  and  select  the  gems ;  then  let  us  go." 

Roger  understood  him  sufficiently  well,  for  he 
had  had  some  weeks'  intercourse  with  the  Mexicans 
now,  and  had  picked  up  their  tongue.  He  needed 
no  second  invitation,  but  plunged  into  the  chamber, 
and  from  there  into  the  treasure-house.  As  in  the 
case  of  Alvarez,  his  eyes  gaped  with  astonishment. 
But  Roger  had  not  set  wealth  before  everything ; 
and,  moreover,  while  coveting  this  treasure  and 
hoping  for  the  promised  reward,  he  had  done  so 
with  the  pure  desire  to  do  his  duty  by  those  at  home 
who  had  borne  the  expense  of  the  expedition.  When 
they  were  satisfied  he  would  take  his  share,  and  not 
before.  But  here  was  such  an  abundance. 
>  "  Even  King  Hal  has  no  wealth  to  compare  with 
this,"  he  cried.  "  There  is  abundance  for  all  here. 
Stones  and  gold,  and  the  latter  is  heavy.  I  shall 
leave  it  and  take  the  stones." 

"The  curtain  would  make  a  sack,  master,  and 
there  are  the  shirts  of  the  Spaniards,"  suddenly 

375 


Roger  the  Bold 


exclaimed  Tamba,  who  had  joined  him.  "Then 
there  are  the  linen  jerkins  of  the  natives." 

"  And  the  red  robe  of  the  priest,"  added  Roger, 
Quick !  Let  us  call  them  all  in  and  get  away." 

He  went  to  the  narrow  opening  and  beckoned  to 
the  priest,  giving  him  the  necessary  instructions, 
Then  he  set  to  work  to  select  the  finest  gems, 
choosing  those  which  were  largest,  for  he  had  no 
knowledge  of  the  correct  colours. 

"  Here  alone  stands  a  fortune,"  he  cried,  as  his 
eye  lit  upon  the  gems  set  aside  by  the  avaricious 
Alvarez.  "  All  picked  for  me  by  the  very  man  who 
attempted  to  rob  us  of  this  spoil.  Gather  them  to- 
gether, Tamba,  and  tie  them  in  a  corner  of  the 
curtain.  I  will  select  some  of  the  gold  vessels,  for 
they  will  convince  those  at  home  of  the  truth  of  our 
tale.  That  is,  should  we  have  the  fortune  to  return. 
Now,  the  curtain  and  the  shirts.  Quick,  for  there 
is  little  time  to  waste." 

"  They  are  here,  my  lord.  I  will  enter  and  help 
to  hand  them  out.  But  hark !  " 

"  The  horn  ! "  Roger  shouted,  as  the  plaintive 
note  which,  on  a  former  day,  had  roused  the  Mexi- 
cans to  fight  for  their  king,  came  to  his  ear.  "  The 
signal  for  all  who  are  left  to  retreat  to  the  landing- 
stage." 

"  And  for  us  to  go  also,  my  lord.  Quick  !  Gather 
the  jewels  and  let  us  go,  otherwise  we  shall  be 
killed,  and  then  what  service  will  this  trash  do 
you?" 

They  worked  as  if  every  second  were  of  the 
utmost  value,  as  indeed  it  was.  The  curtain  was 
spread  on  the  ground,  and  handfuls  of  gems  tossed 
in,  while  Tamba  had  already  tied  some  of  the  largest 

376 


A  Race  for  the  Ocean 

into  a  corner.  Then  Roger  threw  a  few  of  the  finest 
gold  cups  and  bowls  into  the  heap,  while  the  priest 
added  the  disc. 

"  Let  the  picture  which  holds  the  secret  go  too," 
he  said  bitterly.  "  Who  knows  ?  In  years  to  come 
it  may  be  the  only  sample  of  our  writing  which 
remains.  It  may  outlive  this  fallen  nation." 

"  Pick  up  the  curtain,"  cried  Roger,  and  in  a 
moment  Tamba  had  it  on  his  back,  and  was  climb- 
ing through  the  opening.  Then  came  the  priest 
with  the  shirt  of  the  unfortunate  Alvarez,  while 
Roger  followed  with  his  own  jerkin  well  laden. 
They  had  as  much  now  as  they  could  well  carry, 
and  the  addition  of  another  load,  which  was  fetched 
by  one  of  the  natives,  completed  their  burden. 

"  To  the  stage,"  said  Roger,  shortly.  "  And, 
priest,  can  we  trust  these  men  ?  " 

"They  will  die  rather  than  break  their  promise 
to  me,  or  harm  you,"  was  the  answer.  "  You  have 
the  Spaniards  alone  to  fear.  Forward,  and  let  us 
get  out  of  this  awful  city.  The  ruins  strike  grief 
into  my  mind.  I  would  that  I  had  been  killed  at 
the  commencement  rather  than  live  to  see  this  fair 
place  levelled  in  ruins.  Forward  to  the  stage." 

They  staggered  down  the  stairs,  out  through  the 
garden,  and  then  by  a  little-known  corridor  through 
the  palace.  Then  they  had  to  traverse  a  few  streets 
before  reaching  the  landing-stage.  Thousands  of 
natives  were  about,  but  these  took  no  notice  of  the 
party,  seeing  their  comrades  with  it.  Soon  the  stage 
was  in  sight,  and  Roger  gave  vent  to  a  cry  of 
dismay. 

"The  Spaniards  are  there  already,"  he  said 
with  a  groan.  "  They  will  cut  us  off.  Look,  they 

377 


are  bearing  down  with  their  swords  and  their 
pikes." 

"  Roger  !    Roger  de  Luce  ! " 

A  tall  man,  dressed  in  the  native  costume,  but 
obviously  one  of  the  Englishmen,  stood  on  the  very 
edge  of  the  stage  shouting  for  our  hero.  Beside 
him  lay  one  of  the  double  canoes  with  a  crew  of 
rowers,  while  farther  off  in  the  water  street  others 
lay  on  their  oars,  containing  thekingand  other  nobles. 
But  none  would  leave  till  the  white  cacique  had 
come.  Philip  stood  there,  port-fire  in  hand,  shout- 
ing his  name,  while  he  eyed  the  two  cannon  which 
had  been  captured  early  in  the  siege.  Little 
ammunition  remained,  and  that  had  been  carefully 
husbanded  for  the  very  last  occasion.  Philip  had 
trained  the  guns  on  that  part  by  which  the  Spaniards 
would  approach,  and  he  stood  there,  watching  them 
as  they  ran,  prepared  to  fire  at  them,  and  so  give  his 
friend  a  few  seconds  more  in  which  to  reach  the 
boats. 

"  He  is  killed  !  "  he  shouted  in  despairing  tones. 
"  He  must  be  dead,  or  he  would  have  come  before. 
But  1  will  not  stir  yet.  Blow  the  horn  again.  Sound 
another  note,  and  let  us  see  if  that  will  not  bring 
him." 

"  He  is  here  already.  See !  He  and  his  party 
come,  and  they  have  the  treasure." 

It  was  Teotlili  who  caught  him  by  the  sleeve 
and  drew  his  attention  to  the  approaching  party. 
Then  together  they  shouted  to  Roger  and  his 
bearers  to  hasten.  A  minute  later  all  but  Philip 
were  safely  aboard  the  canoe. 

"The  king?"  gasped  Roger,  touching  Teotlili's 
arm. 

378 


A  Race  for  the  Ocean 

"He  is  there.  All  who  are  alive  are  aboard," 
was  the  answer.  "  Listen  to  the  last  shot  of  the 
siege." 

He  pointed  to  Philip,  and  Roger  raised  his  head, 
watching  his  friend  as  he  trained  the  weapons  on 
the  advancing  Spaniards.  He  glanced  along  the 
sights,  blew  at  his  port-fire,  and  then  waited  till  a 
musket  bullet  sped  past  his  cheek.  Then  he  touched 
the  vents  and  leaped  into  the  canoe. 

"Row!"  shouted  Teotlili."  Row  out  into  the 
lake ! " 

They  pushed  off  as  the  cannon  exploded,  scatter- 
ing a  murderous  charge  of  stones  amongst  the 
Spaniards.  Then  the  crew  thrust  their  paddles 
into  the  water  and  sent  the  craft  along.  Worn  out 
though  they  were,  and  more  than  half  starved,  they 
managed  to  summon  sufficient  strength  for  the 
task,  and  very  soon  were  out  on  the  great  lake.  It 
was  getting  dusk,  and  thanks  to  that,  this  canoe 
managed  to  reach  the  far  shore  without  attracting 
the  attention  of  the  enemy.  And  there  they  learned 
that  the  king  and  a  few  of  his  nobles  had  been 
captured,  while  fourteen  of  the  Englishmen  were 
gathered  there  in  addition  to  Roger.  Some 
thousands  of  the  Mexicans  had  also  reached  the 
shore,  and  stood  there  disconsolate. 

"  Scatter  at  once,"  called  out  Teotlili.  "  Make 
for  the  hills,  and  wait  there  for  news  of  the  king. 
Do  not  stay  here  longer,  for  in  the  morning  the 
enemy  will  cover  the  plain.  Now,  my  lord,"  he 
said,  turning  to  Roger.  "  What  are  your  com- 
mands ?  You  have  served  us  faithfully,  you  and 
your  friends.  The  reward  you  have  with  you  is 
far  too  mean,  and  too  small  to  repay  you;  for  such  as 

379 


Roger  the   Bold 

it  is  it  is  yours  by  right.  Where  will  you  take  it  ? 
There  is  no  longer  need  for  your  arms  in  this 
unhappy  country." 

"  Then  lead  us  to  the  coast,"  answered  our  hero. 
"  Take  us  to  Vera  Cruz,  where  we  may  be  able  to 
capture  a  vessel." 

Without  loss  of  time  the  noble  gave  the  neces- 
sary orders,  picking  out  a  number  of  men  who  had 
acted  as  the  king's  bodyguard,  and  who  were  in 
fairly  good  condition.  Then  he  placed  a  guide  at 
the  head,  and  bade  the  whole  lot  advance.  Two 
days  later  they  came  in  sight  of  the  Spanish  town 
of  Vera  Cruz,  which  had  risen  like  a  mushroom,  as 
if  in  one  night,  the  labour  being  undertaken  by  the 
natives.  There  were  ships  in  the  roadstead,  and  a 
spy  reported  that  but  few  white  men  remained 
there  to  guard  the  place,  the  remainder  having 
gone  to  Mexico. 

What  need  to  tell  more !  Roger  and  his  friends, 
though  almost  worn  out,  made  one  last  effort  and 
captured  the  very  brigantine  in  which  they  had 
sailed  from  England.  They  embarked  with  their 
treasure,  and  two  days  later  put  in  at  a  creek  some 
hundred  miles  down  the  coast,  where,  with  the  help 
of  friendly  natives,  they  revictualled  the  ship  as  well 
as  possible,  placing  aboard  sufficient  fruits  and 
herbs  to  last  them  for  some  weeks.  Then  came  the 
hour  of  parting.  Tamba  stood  beside  his  master, 
while  Teotlili  stepped  into  the  canoe  alongside. 

He  dared  not  look  back  once  he  had  taken  his 
farewell,  and  there  were  tears  in  Roger's  eyes  at 
the  parting. 

Five  weeks  later  the  brigantine  put  in  at 
the  port  of  London,  her  crew  looking  more  like 

380 


A   Race  for  the  Ocean 

scarecrows  than  like  British  sailors.  But  they  had 
improved  in  condition  during  the  voyage,  thanks  to 
two  calls  made  during  their  run  along  the  northern 
coast  of  South  America.  But  clothes  they  had 
none  to  speak  of,  and  so  it  was  a  day  before  they 
could  venture  from  the  vessel.  Then  Roger,  the 
acknowledged  leader,  with  Philip  beside  him,  and 
Peter  Tamworth  bringing  up  the  rear,  and  watching 
over  Tamba  and  the  load  he  carried,  made  their 
way  to  the  palace  of  King  Henry. 

The  whole  of  England  rang  with  the  tale  of 
their  exploit,  and  Roger  and  his  comrades  met  with 
due  honour.  But  little  was  said  of  the  jewels  and 
the  wealth,  for  it  would  have  been  unwise  to 
rouse  the  ire  of  Spain.  Still,  Roger  had  done  good 
work  for  those  who  had  organized  the  expedition, 
and  they  did  not  forget.  Our  hero  won  fame 
and  a  knighthood  and  sufficient  wealth  to  permit 
of  his  buying  a  fine  estate  in  the  country  and 
a  house  in  the  city  of  London.  And  there  Tamba 
went  with  him ;  while  Philip  and  Peter,  now 
both  men  of  means  and  consequence,  came  often 
to  speak  of  the  old  days,  of  the  Spaniards,  and 
of  the  one-time  fairy  city  of  Mexico.  Then  they 
would  fill  their  leathern  jugs,  to  which  they  still 
clung  for  the  sake  of  old  acquaintance,  and  would 
drink  in  silence  to  those  who  were  gone,  to  the 
gallant  souls  who  had  fought  beside  them,  and  to 
those  fine  natives  of  Mexico  who  had  struggled 
under  the  leadership  of  Roger  the  Bold 


381 


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By  Blackie  &  Son,  Limited,   Glasgow 


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